Lion Forge PUBWATCH: November 2018

Lion Forge Pubwatch - banner designed by Cori McCreery

I know what you’re wondering. “Hm… what has Lion Forge been up to this month?” Well, reader, you’re in the right place, because this is the Lion Forge Pubwatch! First up: get ready to want to read some comics, because here are the reviews!

Quincredible #1

Rodney Barnes (writer), Selina Espiritu (artist), Kelly Fizpatrick (colorist)
November 28th, 2018

Cover for Quincredible #1 - Quin, a youngster in sneakers, a hoodie, and fingerless gloves, jumps over the head of a larger adult, smiling slightly while other opponents line up in anger behind him

Quincredible is the newest addition to the Catalyst Prime universe, with its first issue coming out later this month on Lion Forge’s Roar label (which caters to the 13-18 year old demographic). I’ve been wanting to break into Catalyst Prime for a while now, but deciding where to start felt overwhelming. Quincredible #1 was so good that I am excited not only for the rest of the series, but to jump into more of the Catalyst Prime universe too!

Quin is your average high school-age superhuman who gained the power of invincibility in a meteor shower (that was obviously a cataclysmic event in the Catalyst Prime universe). He doesn’t think invincibility is a good power, but he’s learning that it isn’t about what you get, it’s about what you give.

I love this nerdy black teenage superhero. I love that he has black adult superheroes to look up to. I love that he cares about New Orleans and his neighborhood and community organization. I love that the book explores how the government and police force can be enemies of the people and what that means for a community. Thinking about teens reading this book in 2018 has me feeling emotional and I can’t wait to read more of it.

Voltron Legendary Defender Vol. 3 #5

Mitch Iverson (writer), Beni Lobel (colorist), Rubine (artist)
November 14th, 2018

Cover for Voltron Legendary Defender - Shiro holds up his fist, surrounded by a magenta glow, in front of his face, looking determined

The latest Voltron comic series comes to a close this month… unfortunately, in a disappointing way. While I liked some of the directions this arc went in, as far as elaborate strategy and complex plans, it ultimately culminated in a big space battle against a scary monster and a fleet of generic Galra enemies. I know Voltron is a mech series, but I just don’t find big space battles the most compelling thing about it—not in the cartoon, and even less so in the comics, where big, dramatic fight scenes don’t translate particularly well into the medium. Voltron also suffers from the trope where every threat has to be bigger and scarier than the one before, and I don’t particularly appreciate being told “this is the scariest thing we’ve ever fought, trust me!” with no real context for it.

Overall, the Voltron comics are great for tiding over my appetite for Voltron between seasons of the cartoon, but I wish they’d figure out the trick of making their first and last issues as compelling as the meat in the middle of the series.

Watersnakes

Tony Sandoval (writer, artist)
November 7th, 2018

Cover for Watersnakes - A group of pale, long-haired girls dressed in armor and carrying pikes and swords stare at the viewer

Let me start with this: I loved this graphic novel. It was beautiful and weird and magical and creepy, all at once. This is going to sound like a cop-out but I actually liked it so much that I don’t want to write about it, because I think you should all go out and read it without having too much of an idea what it is. (I do want to include a content warning for graphic violence, though.)

The thing I like best about Watersnakes is the dreamlike quality that it has in every beautiful, watercolored page. I was never sure what was real, what was magic, and what was just a dream, but I just wanted to keep floating through its pages, absorbing its mysterious aesthetic and wistful, melancholy feelings.

Rolled & Told #2

Steenz (associate editor)
October 24th, 2018

Cover of Rolled and Told magazine, featuring a quartet of D&D aventurers atop of pile of attacking skeletons

Rolled & Told has done it again with their second issue, serving up another charming batch of essays and playable 5th edition D&D encounters! The main module in this Halloween-themed issue is a clever zombie-themed mass combat slash puzzle featuring a whole bunch of cool NPCs (who turn into enemy zombies if you let them die)! The minor adventure is a haunted carnival! So fun!

MK Reed’s contribution is dead useful for anyone who has ever been a DM: a premade tavern, full of premade NPCs with premade problems, that you can drop into your game any time your ungrateful players derail the glorious session you wrote for them! Josh Trujillo also wrote an article about why player death isn’t necessarily something to be afraid of and, while I’m not sure I agree, it was an interesting perspective on keeping the tension high and included great suggestions on how to move your game on after losing a beloved character. These different perspectives are what I love about reading a dedicated D&D magazine—and why I love Rolled & Told!

And in other news, the news!

Lion Forge at NYCC

Yes, Lion Forge had a presence at New York Comicon last month, featuring a cute booth and signings from many of their awesome creators, including Paige Braddock (Jane’s World), Mitch Iverson (Voltron), Katie Green (Lighter Than My Shadow), David Walker (Superb), Amy Chu (Summit), and Ezra Claytan Daniels (Upgrade Soul). Were any of our readers at NYCC and did you meet any of these folks there?

Upgrade Soul Events Announced in Los Angeles

If you liked Ezra Claytan Daniels’ Upgrade Soul (which I reviewed in last month’s pubwatch) and you’re in the L.A. area, I’ve got good news for you! He’ll be appearing, signing books and chatting with fans at Skylight Books on November 7th, A Shop Called Quest on November 8th, and Cellar Door Books on November 9th!

Lion Forge Partners With The Magic House for Neener Neener Neener!

This is a really feel-good story, actually! The Magic House is a famous children’s museum in St. Louis, where Lion Forge is headquartered—and the two companies are partnering together to release this cute children’s comic about a pair of siblings and their alien friend who have to use the scientific process to save the Magic House from the mischievous Neeners! I love this because it’s really cool that Lion Forge is so involved with the St. Louis community. The comic is now for sale exclusively at the Magic House.

Alex Paknadel Inherits KINO From Joe Casey

Starting with issue #10 of KINO, which came out on October 31st, Alex Paknadel (Arcadia, Doctor Who, Assassin’s Creed: Uprising) will be the new writer for the series, which claims to be beginning a “new era.” Paknadel tweeted that KINO #10 was “one of the best things [he’s] ever written” so the new arc is definitely something to look out for.

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Jameson Alea

Jameson Alea

Jamey is a non-binary adventurer from Buffalo, NY who wishes they were immortal so they’d have time to visit every coffee shop in the world. They write code, like plants, record podcasts, categorize zines and read tarot cards. Ask them about Star Wars or Vampire: the Masquerade if you dare.

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