StarWarp Concepts Books: Perfect for Independent Bookstore Day 2024!

Posted on April 27, 2024 by Steven

Today is Independent Bookstore Day, which has been celebrated on the last Saturday in April since its launch by the American Booksellers Association in 2013. The idea, of course, is to urge book lovers to hit those small but essential bookstores that have to compete with Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and help keep them in business. 

With that in mind, I have a question for owners of indie bookshops around the world: Are you interested in adding StarWarp Concepts titles to your shelves? Given the quality of our releases, of course you are! 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 Content 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 game masters) and From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures, and from the Illustrated Classics A Princess of Mars and Carmilla to the swashbuckling adventure of the fantasy Harbinger of Darkness, 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 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 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 Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination

“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 Lorelei: Sects and the City

“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 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 Carmilla

Take a look at our backlist to see what we offer, and then contact Ingram Content Group if you don’t already have an account with them. 

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

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The Nighttime Is the Right Time: Celebrating World Book Night in 2024

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Steven

Hey, book lovers! This evening brings World Book Night in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Run by The Reading Agency, this annual gathering of book lovers, to quote their website:

“…brings people from all backgrounds together for one reason – to inspire others to read more. Organisations and individuals hold events up and down the country to celebrate the difference that reading makes to our lives, from book themed parties at home to books swaps in offices. Organisations can volunteer to hand out books from our annual list to people who don’t read for pleasure or own books.”

Sounds like fun, and anything that helps promote reading is a-okay with us! For more information, including how you can get involved, visit the World Book Night site.

So, even if you don’t live in the UK or Ireland, grab your favorite book, sit back, and join in on the enjoyment of reading tonight!

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Happy 60th Anniversary, Warren Publishing!

Posted on April 22, 2024 by Steven

Well, “Happy 60th” if the company was still around, that is…

If you’re a longtime comics fan, you’ve probably at least heard the name Warren Publishing. Launched in the 1950s by president/publisher/editor in chief James Warren, this indie magazine house was the home of the horror-comic anthologies Creepy and Eerie, the horror-entertainment mag Famous Monsters of Filmland, the time-traveling adventures of The Rook, and, most famous of all, the queen of the bad girls: Vampirella, created by Warren with FMoF editor/creator Forrest J Ackerman, and designed by art legends Frank Frazetta and Trina Robbins.

But even though Warren Publishing had been firmly established since 1958, the first Warren comic-book publication didn’t star a couple of creepy and eerie-looking horror hosts, or even a scantily clad vampiress from outer space, but a “modern Stone Age family” from the town of Bedrock: Hanna-Barbera’s The Flintstones.

That first Warren comic, in fact, was The Flintstones at the New York World’s Fair, a 64-page, full-color promotional “comic souvenir” produced under Warren’s JW Books, Inc. imprint—through a licensing deal with Gold Key Comics—and sold at the 1964–1965 World’s Fair, which was held at what is known today as Flushing Meadows Corona Park in the borough of Queens. (These days, the area is recognized more for being the annual site of tennis’s U.S. Open and, across from the park, Citi Field, home of the New York Mets. The park was also featured in the first Men in Black film and, in a heavily fictionalized version, was home to the Stark Expo in Iron Man 2.) Although the writer is unknown—the comic contains no creative team credits—the artists involved have been identified by auction house Heritage Auctions as penciler Harvey Eisenberg and inker Steve Steere, with Mel Crawford providing the cover art.

So, what makes today Warren Publishing’s 60th comic book anniversary? Because this is the day in 1964 when the New York World’s Fair opened, and the Flintstones comic went on sale!

Warren Publishing stopped publishing in 1982 and completely shut down just months later, but its characters still live on, with Vampirella ultimately ending up at Dynamite Entertainment (after a decade-plus run at Harris Comics, starting in the 1990s), and Uncle Creepy, Cousin Eerie, and time-traveling cowboy The Rook finding a home at Dark Horse Comics. (And in case you were wondering, no, Warren Publishing’s Rook—created by writers Bill DuBay and Budd Lewis, and artist Luis Bermejo—has nothing to do with Image Comics’ recently published dystopian sci-fi comic Rook: Exodus.)

So, Happy Anniversary to James Warren and his late, lamented Warren Publishing. You might not be in the comics game anymore, but fans like me will always treasure the memories!

And while we’re on the subject of Warren Publishing (he said slyly), you might be interested in a nonfiction book we have that’s all about that company’s most famous comic character. Cue the shameless sales plug!

From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures, from author Steven A. Roman (that’s me!) is SWC’s critically acclaimed and fan-favorite examination 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), along with essays on related spin-off material; an autopsy of the awful 1996 movie that starred Talisa Soto of the Mortal Kombat movies as Vampi and rock-god Roger Daltrey as a scenery-gulping Dracula; and a pretty extensive—and quite possibly the only in-depth—look at the history of Hammer Films’ planned Vampirella movie, announced in 1975 with model/actress Barbara Leigh and Hammer legend Peter Cushing as its stars, but which was never produced. 

“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—Empire of Monsters, The Art of Vampirella: The Warren Years, The Art of Jose Gonzalez, etc.—but none offers such a broad, all-encompassing look at the history of this character.”—Vampirella of Drakulon (news site)

From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures is available in print and digital formats, so visit itsproduct page for ordering information.

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It’s National Library Week 2024!

Posted on April 7, 2024 by Steven

Hey, book lovers! National Library Week is once again upon us, and you know us: any reason to read is a good cause for celebration! And where better to find a new book you might come to love than a library, where you can borrow it for free?

According to the American Library Association (ALA), the organization that runs the event:

“First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April. It is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support. All types of libraries—school, public, academic and special—participate.”

National Library Week runs April 7–13, so check your local library this week for any special events they might have planned for the celebration. For more information on the event, visit the National Library Week website.

Now, get out there and start reading!

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SWC Writer Steven A. Roman Helps Relaunch Photon, the First Laser-Tag Franchise

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Steven

Hey, sci-fi comic fans! I’ve got some news about a new non-SWC project that I’m involved in, and it’s a revival of an intellectual property known to longtime fans of laser tag: Photon: The Ultimate Game on Planet Earth!

Created in the early 1980s by Dallas, Texas, entrepreneur George Carter III, Photon was the world’s first laser-tag game, in which two teams of players (called Photon Warriors) would enter an arena and shoot at each other with light-emitting “phaser” pistols until one side’s base was captured. It was intended to be a high-tech version of games played by children—Cops and Robbers, Cowboys and Indians, and Capture the Flag—matched with the blaster shoot-outs of the original Star Wars (known today as Episode IV: A New Hope) that inspired Carter’s imagination in 1977. 

The first arena opened in Dallas on March 28, 1984, and soon enough expanded into 70 franchises around the world, had a play-at-home version that sold in toys stores and major chains like Sears, saw the publication of a series of original novels by authors Peter David (Incredible Hulk, Star Trek: The Next Generation) and Michael P. Kube-McDowell, was featured on the news-magazine show 20/20, and even enjoyed a one-season live-action TV series. Unfortunately, consumer interest in laser-tag games in general soon faded, and by the 1990s Photon and its competitors (including the similarly designed Lazer Tag) had drifted into pop culture limbo.

So now, with 2024 marking the franchise’s 40th anniversary year, Photon is making its comeback, this time in comic book form, courtesy of Texas-based videogame developer and current rights owner Piko Interactive and its president, Eli Galindo.

Photon: Re-Energized is a full-color one-shot from Piko’s Virtual Comics imprint, by yours truly, writer Steven A. Roman, and artist/colorist Ana Pauda. It’s my second comic project for Piko/Virtual, following The Legend of Calamity Jane: The Devil Herself, which is based on the cult-favorite Wild West animated series from the late 1990s that Piko now owns.

Re-Energized is the story of Carter Clay, an urban explorer who pays a visit with a couple of friends to a long-abandoned mall to see what they can see before the place is torn down the following week. To his surprise, Carter finds an old Photon arena in the basement, and with it some discarded Photon Warrior gear that turns out to be still active—and unexpectedly shows Carter that Photon is more than just a game…it’s a real-life combat training program to prevent alien invaders from taking over the world!

(The final cover design hasn’t been finalized yet; what you see here is the basic layout for it.)

I really enjoyed working on the script—like Calamity Jane, it was a property I wasn’t all that familiar with, but quickly grew to like after researching it. Best of all, Piko gave the fan site Tiviachick Loves Laser Tag (which also runs the site Photon Forever) a sneak peek at my script, and it got a very positive review:

“If you were a fan of Photon in the 80s this book has plenty of references you will recognize, but with a fresh take on the intergalactic premise of the past it will also be a gateway to showing a new generation that the light still shines.”

Stay tuned for further information!

(Photon: The Ultimate Game on Planet Earth™ and © 2023 Piko Interactive LLC)

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King Kong: Back to the Big Scream!

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Steven

Hey, monster-fight fans! It’ll be round 2 of epic kaiju wrestling when the film Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire opens tomorrow in movie theaters—only this time the Big G and the king of the jungle aren’t fighting each other, they’re forming an alliance! 

The latest entry in Legendary Pictures’ “Monsterverse” series—which includes 2014’s reboot of Godzilla, the 2017 prequel Kong: Skull Island, 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong—Godzilla x Kong has monsterdom’s greatest titans teaming up against an even deadlier threat to the world than they are, alongside human costars Rebecca Hall (Iron Man 3) and Brian Tyree Henry (Eternals), making return appearances after their debuts in Godzilla vs. Kong.

Godzilla’s feeling pretty confident coming into this match, as he’s still energized by his recent Academy Award win for last year’s surprise hit Godzilla: Minus One (okay, it wasn’t a starring role win, but for best special effects, but still—an Oscar-winning kaiju movie!). And Kong had his own time to shine last year, as he starred in Netflix’s animated series Skull Island.

Of course, there wouldn’t be a monster mash this weekend without Kong, the creation of Merian C. Cooper and Edgar Wallace who was brought to stop-motion life in 1933 by effects master Willis O’Brien. The original King Kongwent on to become a worldwide cultural icon that inspired generations of Monster Kids who grew up to be directors, writers, and special-effects creators. It also inspired all of us at StarWarp Concepts—here comes the shameless plug—to add the story of the king of the simian monsters to our line of Illustrated Classics!

King Kong is an e-book-only republication of the 1932 novelization of the original movie classic. 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, it includes 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. Our version features six 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.

Not familiar with the beauty-and-the-beast story of Kong and his “love interest,” Ann Darrow (who was played in the 1933 original by the queen of the scream queens, Fay Wray)? Well, here’s our edition’s back-cover copy to bring you up-to-date:

Ann Darrow was a down-on-her-luck actress struggling to survive in Depression-era New York when she met moviemaker Carl Denham. He offered her the starring role in his latest film: a documentary about a long-lost island—and the godlike ape named Kong rumored to live there. Denham needed a beauty as a counterpart to the beast he hoped to find, and Ann was the answer to his prayers.

Mystery, romance, a chance to turn her life around, even the possibility of stardom—to Ann, it sounded like the adventure of a lifetime! But what she didn’t count on were the horrific dangers that awaited her on Skull Island—including the affections of a love-struck monster…

King Kong (the 1932 novelization) is available directly from the SWC Store, so visit its product page for ordering information.

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Art Legend Bob Larkin Set to “Dazzle” Comic Fans This October

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Steven

If you’re a fan of comic books, or movies, or pulp fiction heroes, Bob Larkin is a painter whose work you recognize immediately; he’s provided covers and movie posters for just about every publishing house and film studio for more than four decades. 

Doc Savage, Star Wars, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Planet of the Apes, The Savage Sword of Conan the Barbarian, Piranha, Night of the Creeps, and The Toxic Avenger II are just some of the painted images you’re already familiar with, even if you didn’t know they were Larkin’s work. He’s been an inspiration to artists like Joe Jusko and Alex Ross. If you’re a Panatic, then you know him as the cover artist of the Saga of Pandora Zwieback novels Blood Feud and Blood Reign. 

But of all his many, many pieces, Bob’s most famous painting is most likely his cover art for Dazzler #1, published in 1981 and starring Marvel’s disco-inspired mutant superheroine. It’s an image that pops up online on comic-news sites just about every time there’s Hollywood talk of a Dazzler movie, especially in recent years as rumors continue to spread that superstar Taylor Swift may have been stealth-cast in the role, most notably with connection to this July’s release of Deadpool and Wolverine. 

Well, that artwork’s about to get another workout, as this week Marvel announced the forthcoming publication of the Dazzler Omnibus: a 1,360-page doorstop that collects her entire 42-issue series, along with her spin-off miniseries Beauty and the Beast and her appearances in X-Men and other titles. The main cover art will be provided by the super-popular Stanley “Artgerm” Lau, with the direct-market variant featuring Bob’s art, as seen here:

Dazzler Omnibus goes on sale October 1st, with a hefty price tag of $150.00 (well, it is an omnibus—those things are never cheap)

But it’s not just disco divas that Bob Larkin is known for painting—he’s also one hell of a pencil artist, as evidenced by his work in a couple of SWC projects. Cue the sales plug!

The Bob Larkin Sketchbook is a collection of some of Bob’s incredible pencil drawings, and what you’ll discover when you see them is how wide-ranging his subjects are. Sci-fi, horror, Westerns, pulp adventure, crime fiction, movie merchandise, even wrestling stars—as we say on the book’s back cover, there really islittle that he hasn’t painted. 

The sketchbook also features three pieces created especially for it: the Pandora Zwieback cover art; a portrait of Patricia Savage, the fightin’ cousin of pulp fiction’s top-tier adventurer, Doc Savage, the Man of Bronze; and a two-page spread in which Doc faces off against another Golden Age crimefighter—The Shadow!

And in From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures, by Steven A. Roman (that’s me!), Bob provides a wonderful pencil-study frontispiece of the queen of comics’ bad girls. From the Stars is 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, and photographs from the personal archives of Forrest J Ackerman.

The Bob Larkin Sketchbook and From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures are available in print and digital formats. Visit their respective product pages for ordering information.

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Happy Game Masters Appreciation Day 2024!

Posted on March 4, 2024 by Steven

If you’re a fan of role-playing games, then you probably know that today is International GM’s [Game Masters] Appreciation Day. If you’re not, I’ll let this quote from the official GM’s Day site provide you with some background:

GM’s Day was born on the site EN World in December 2002. Originally a simple message board post by EN World member Spunkrat, the idea quickly gained popularity, championed by Mark Clover of Creative Mountain Games and, of course, EN World itself…. GM’s Day is an annual day to show your Game Master (or Dungeon Master, or Storyteller, or Referee) how much you appreciate them.  Publishers and retail outlets across the world now join in GM’s Day, offering discounts, sales, and other cool stuff.

And what do you know? It just so happens that StarWarp Concepts has a book that’s perfect for game masters and gamers and fantasy fans alike:

Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination is our popular how-to book for writers and gamers in which sci-fi and fantasy author Richard C. White (Harbinger of Darkness, For a Few Gold Pieces More) takes you through the step-by-step process of constructing a world for your characters, from societies and governments to currency and religion. A bonus feature 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. 

What you’ll find in its pages is information that’s vital for just about any writer and game master, especially when it comes to world building, and Rich shows you how to do it:

Avoiding the pitfalls of naming characters, regions, and countries • Applying the technique of “outside in” to develop and then refine ideas for your world • Creating a world your readers can relate to, regardless of its technological levels • Identifying how to create backstories and conflict by observing how your world comes together • Adding details to make your story richer without overwhelming your readers • Identifying useful resources for research

From its first publication, the book has been a hit with both fantasy writers and role-playing gamers. In fact, it’s currently being used as a textbook in the Interactive Media & Game Development program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worchester, Massachusetts!

“I think Terra Incognito is a solid introduction to the subject of world building. The book succeeds in helping the aspiring writer in creating a skeletal framework for which to hang the moving parts required of a believable fictional setting.”—The Gaming Gang

Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination is available in trade paperback, hardcover, and digital formats, so visit its product page for ordering information. Order a copy for your favorite game master today, to show them how much you appreciate their work—or order it for yourself!

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It’s Time for Smashwords’ Read an Ebook Week 2024!

Posted on March 3, 2024 by Steven

Hey, book lovers! Today’s the day when e-retailer Smashwords launches its annual Read an Ebook Week Sale, during which you can purchase tens of thousands of digital books at special prices! It runs March 3–9—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), which means you can get the following digital titles at 25% off:

Terra 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) takes you through the step-by-step process of constructing a world for your characters, from societies and governments to currency and religion. A bonus feature is an exclusive 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.

Blood 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.

In Blood Reign: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 2, Pan and Annie face even greater challenges as the vampire clans draw up plans to go to war with humanity. Leading the charge is a fallen angel named Zaqiel, whose previous attempt at subjugating the world was stopped by Annie—who, back in the day, was Zaqiel’s lover! But Pan isn’t about to let some ancient monster win the day, not when the lives of her parents and friends—along with those of every human on the planet—are at stake, so she leads a charge of her own. But whose side is going to emerge the victor remains to be seen…

For a Few Gold Pieces More is Rich White’s collection of linked fantasy short stories about a Rogue With No Name who travels a world of epic-fantasy adventure, looking for treasure, romance—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).

Harbinger of Darkness is Rich’s original fantasy-adventure 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!

And Chasing Danger: The Case Files of Theron Chase is Rich’s collection of fantasy-noir, pulp-detective tales 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!

Again, the Read an Ebook Week Sale runs March 3–9, so head over to the StarWarp Concepts publisher page at Smashwords and start your summer (or winter) shopping!

Posted in Dark Urban Fantasy, e-books, e-tailers, Fantasy, Gaming, Nonfiction, Pandora Zwieback, Richard C. White, StarWarp Concepts, Steven A. Roman, Writing Reference Books, Young Adult | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on It’s Time for Smashwords’ Read an Ebook Week 2024!

It’s Will Eisner Week 2024!

Posted on March 1, 2024 by Steven

Yes, it’s time again for Will Eisner Week: an annual celebration—held every year from March 1 to March 7—run by the Will and Ann Eisner Family Foundation, to promote literacy, graphic novels, free speech, and the legacy of the late Will Eisner, the creator of the 1940s masked crimefighter The Spirit, and one of the founding fathers of American graphic novels. 

A Contract with God, A Life Force, Dropsie Avenue, and The Dreamer are just some of the fascinating tales Eisner wrote and drew, featuring ordinary people in extraordinary (and sometimes not-so-extraordinary) situations. And even though he passed away in 2005, Eisner continues to inspire generations of writers and artists. Events are being held this week around the world, so visit the Will Eisner Week site for more information.

StarWarp Concepts, of course, has its share of graphic novels and comics that might pique your interest. Here are just a few:

Lorelei: Sects and the City: This is the critically acclaimed, Mature Readers tale of a soul-stealing succubus battling a cult that’s trying to revive the elder gods they worship. Basically a love letter to 1970s horror comics like Vampirella, Tomb of Dracula, and “Satanna, the Devil’s Daughter,” it’s written by yours truly, Steven A. Roman (Final Destination: Dead Man’s Hand, X-Men: The Chaos Engine Trilogy), and illustrated by Eliseu Gouveia (Vengeance of the Mummy, Lady Death), Steve Geiger (Web of Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk), and Neil Vokes (Flesh and Blood, Tom Holland’s Fright Night). It also features work by three legendary Warren Publishing artists: a cover painting by Esteban Maroto (Vampirella, Creepy), a frontispiece by original Vampirella artist Tom Sutton, and a history of succubi illustrated by Ernie Colon (Creepy, Eerie).

Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings: Perfect for superhero fans, this graphic novel is about a supernatural team of superfolk-for-hire, consisting of a wizard, a sorceress, a female ninja, a high-tech-armor-wearing rock concert lighting designer, and a werewolf. Not every superhero team has Tony Stark’s billions to play with, you understand, and the Troubleshooters are just looking to earn a living while fighting the monsters that have always lurked in the shadows. Night Stalkings presents the TSI members on their first mission: protecting a multimillionaire from a trio of Middle Eastern demons out to raise a little hell! It’s written by the husband-and-wife team of Richard C. White (For a Few Gold Pieces More, Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination) and Joni M. White, illustrated by Reggie Golden and Randy Zimmerman, and features cover art by Richard Dominguez (El Gato Negro).

The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1: Although it may not be a graphic novel, at 56 pages this full-color SWC Store exclusive is still a pretty thick comic book, with three stories of Pan and the monsters that live in her New York City hometown. The Saga of Pandora Zwieback chronicles the adventures of sixteen-year-old Pandora Zwieback, a Gothy horror fangirl who possesses amazing powers that she just learned about, including the ability to see past the human disguises worn by monsters to blend in with society. This one-shot contains: “Song of the Siren” by Steven A. Roman and artist Eliseu Gouveia (The Saga of Pandora Zwieback #0), in which Pan has to contend with her boyfriend Javier’s ex-girlfriend—who turns out to be a mythological siren; “After Hours” by writer Sholly Fisch (The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries), and comic-art legend Ernie Colon (Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld), about a demon relaxing in a bar after a hard day of scaring people; and “Shopping Maul,” a short story by yours truly with title-page art by Elizabeth Watasin (Charm School), in which Pan and her friends encounter some Elegant & Gothic Lolita vampires at a shopping mall. Cover art is provided by Henar Torinos (Mala Estrella, OmniTubers Secretos).

All titles are available in print and digital formats, so visit their respective product pages for ordering information, as well as sample pages.

Happy reading!

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