Vault Comics has announced World of Darkness: Crimson Thaw, a multi-property World of Darkness event that spins out of Vault’s smash hit Vampire: The Masquerade comic book series. In World of Darkness, there is more lurking in the shadows than just vampires, and this event will shine a light on just what else hides in the night.
The World of Darkness: Crimson Thaw event will be told by a murderers row of the best comic creators working today. The series is written by Jim Zub, Tim Seeley, Blake Howard, Tini Howard, and Danny Lore, drawn by Julius Ohta, colored by Addison Duke, lettered by Deron Bennett, and designed by Tim Daniel. The series will feature covers from legendary horror artists Aaron Campbell and Joshua Hixson.
In World of Darkness: Crimson Thaw, Cecily Bain has become everything she never wanted as The Prince of the Twin Cities. But her rule over a fractured, backbiting vampire court is interrupted by an intruder—something big, hairy, and full of teeth. For over a century, werewolves of the Twin Cities have protected their blessed places from threats both physical and spiritual. When vampires under Cecily rule move in on one of these precious sites, it’s a declaration of war, one that Tyrell ‘the Stainless’ Stinar and his ferocious pack will avenge at any cost.
The three-issue event will launch in September 2021. Making the series even tastier for fans of Vampire: The Masquerade, each issue of World of Darkness: Crimson Thaw will include exclusive gaming material for Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition of the tabletop RPG from Renegade Game Studios, allowing players to actually play the events of the series in their own games.
Wednesdays (and now Tuesdays) are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!
Each week our contributors choose what they can’t wait to read this week or just sounds interesting. In other words, this is what we’re looking forward to and think you should be taking a look at!
Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this week.
Atlas at War (Dead Reckoning) – The graphic novel collects fifty hard to find war stories published by Marvel between 1951 and 1960.
Cyberpunk 2077 Trauma Team #1 (Dark Horse Comics) – The highly anticipated video game comes to comics.
Dark Nights: Death Metal Trinity Crisis #1 (DC Comics) – Really, this should have been part of the main series, so we’re highlighting it so you don’t dismiss it as just another one-shot tie-in.
Dog Man Vol. 9 (Graphix) – The series is huge and this latest volume is being printed in the millions. Comics aren’t dying, they’ve got a whole new generation hooked.
Dry Foot #1 (Mad Cave Studios) – It’s Miami in the 1980s and a group of kids are attempting to escape the violence and drugs of the city.
Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio (Abrams Comicarts) – A graphic novel depiction of the tragic day that reflects on the violence we see today.
Rise of Ultraman #1 (Marvel) – We’re intrigued to see how this Marvel take on the classic manga/anime character turns out.
Stargazer #1 (Mad Cave Studios) – If you like alien abduction stories, this is a great first issue of an intriguing mystery.
Student Ambassador Vol. 1 (Iron Circus Comics) – An eight-year-old wins a photo op with the President of the United States but is pulled into an international incident when another eight-year-old takes his father’s crown and stumbles into trouble.
Vampire: The Masquerade #2 (Vault Comics) – The first issue was a bit heavy on the terms from the classic roleplaying game but nailed the characters and world down.
The White Wolf/Onyx Path RPG Vampire: the Masqueradereturns to comics courtesy of Vault, and this issue is a wonderful entry point into a complex world of alliances, hierarchies, and yes, bloodthirst. Tim Seeley, Devmalya Pramanik, and Addison Duke handle the lead story of Vampire: the Masquerade #1 focusing on Cecily Bain, who is muscle for a vampire clan in Minneapolis. However, she also has a fiercely independent streak and the tiniest trace of a soft side beneath her murderous, take no shit attitude. On the flip side is Tini Howard, Blake Howard, and Nathan Gooden’s backup story about the anarch, Colleen, who isn’t beholden to the Twin Cities power struggle and just wants to make sure her and her vampire buddies survive to the next day. It was really nice to get two incredibly different perspectives on this rich world, especially as a newcomer to the franchise. (My only real exposure to Vampire the Masquerade was in the Baphomet/Morrigan-centric issue of WicDiv even though the lore has always fascinated, and I picked up some of the RPG sourcebooks via Humble Bundle.)
Seeley and Pramanik set up Cecily as an anti-hero with a heart of gold in Vampire: the Masquerade #1’s opening story. She proves her ruthlessness by killing the clan accountant’s girlfriend (He’s just valuable enough.) in the opening scene, but then she shows tenderness with her sister Karen, who has dementia, and a new vampire, Ali. Pramanik with the help of colorist Addison Duke uses intense shadows to create intimacy in their visuals and hint that Cecily is strongly considering turning Karen into a vampire so she doesn’t have to deal with the pain of completely losing her and also that her youth is restored.
This concern for the weak continues to Ali, who was sired by an anonymous vampire and is clan-less drifter in a highly hierarchical world except this may not be the case thanks to some suspenseful silent sequences from Seeley and Pramanik. Visually, Devmalya Pramanik and Addison Duke lean into an industrial, post-punk vibe that hints at past “glory days” for Cecily and Karen and also hinting that Cecily might have a sense of nostalgia between her tough, get the job done veneer. Her interest in alternative culture and music does dovetail nicely with her refusal to be more of a company woman and just do her job for the Prince instead of getting the vampire clan equivalent of a desk job and lose some of her precious freedom. (And, by extension, a lack of prying eyes on Karen.)
In both stories, Tim Seeley, Tini Howard, and Blake Howard lean on characterization and easy-to-connect-with personal relationships instead of the deep Vampire the Masquerade lore to drive the story. Without the vampirism, Colleen and her band of anarchs (Basically, vampire without a cause.) could be young people with wanderlust that favor the open road instead of stable jobs and lifestyles. The character sheet for Colleen (And Cecily too, while we’re here.) adds real depth to her character and the messed up relationship with her husband/sire Mitch and also acts as a rare peek at the bottom of the author’s theoretical iceberg. The backup is a free spirit to the rigid structures that Cecily encounters in the main story, and Addison Duke uses a lighter palette because as a thin blood, Colleen can actually go out during the day. The Howards and Gooden’s story adds depth and perspective via a momentum-filled On the Road with vampires plotline instead of relying on boring exposition to show what life as another kind of vampire is like.
With two memorable leads and a focus on showing readers what it’s like in the universe instead of exhaustively explaining its rules, Vampire: the Masquerade #1 is an enjoyable read even if you’re not familiar with the RPG. The dual nature of immortality shows up a lot in the comic, but Tim Seeley, Tini Howard, Blake Howard, Devmalya Pramanik, Nathan Gooden, and basically Gothic set-dresser Addison Duke dive into other implications of being a vampire in this world like navigating bureaucracies and complicated interpersonal relationship. Hey, it sounds like the real world, but with hotter outfits, blood, and fangs.
Story: Tim Seeley, Tini Howard, Blake Howard Art: Devmalya Pramanik, Nathan Gooden Colors: Addison Duke Letters: Andworld Story: 7.9 Art: 8.7 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy
Vault provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Wednesdays (and now Tuesdays) are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!
Each week our contributors choose what they can’t wait to read this week or just sounds interesting. In other words, this is what we’re looking forward to and think you should be taking a look at!
Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this week.
Alien: Original Screenplay #1 (Dark Horse Comics) – The original screenplay gets turned into a comic and we’re excited to see what the result is.
Bad Mother #1 (AWA Studios) – A suburban mom’s kid goes missing and she goes on a mission to get her back. There’s an 80s tinge to the concept we’re digging.
DCeased: Dead Planet #2 (DC Comics) – DC’s best line of comics they’ve got going right now.
Disaster, Inc. #2 (AfterShock) – The series about disaster tourism sounded interesting but the supernatural twist has us really intrigued.
Empyre #4 (Marvel) – The summer event has been getting better with each issue and with no preview, Marvel has something up their sleeve.
Far Sector #7 (DC Comics/DC’s Young Animal) – The series has been amazing with a mix of socio-political/action/mystery/romance. This issue leans a little heavier into the action but it’s so good and visually amazing.
Horizon Zero Dawn #1 (Titan Comics) – We haven’t played the video game but know the visuals and the world and we’re intrigued how it’s adapted into comics. Some massive potential here.
My Little Pony/Transformers #1 (IDW Publishing) – It’s just so crazy, it might work.
Undiscovered Country #7 (Image Comics) – This series has been off the wall insane and we seriously have no idea of what’s next.
Vampire: The Masquerade #1 (Vault Comics) – Vault isn’t a publisher we think of when it comes to licensed comics but what they have put out matches perfectly for what we’d want in a comic based on the popular roleplaying game.
Vault has announced a set of new Vampire: The Masquerade #1 variant covers from legendary artist David Mack.
The gorgeous, painted piece by Mack will come in two different printed variants. The first, in a lush purple and blue, will be a standard, open order variant. The blood red version will be a special, deluxe variant, printed on thick card stock, with silver foiling and spot-gloss highlights, and will retail for $9.99.
Each issue of the Vampire: The Masquerade will include exclusive material for Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition of the tabletop RPG from Modiphius Entertainment. These materials enable readers to play alongside the unfolding comic events in their own in-game chronicles.
Sink your teeth into the hidden world of vampires, ghouls, and hunters who live in the shadows and scheme among us. In the comic series, Cecily Baine, an enforcer for the Twin Cities’ elite cabal of Kindred (vampires), takes a mysterious young vampire under her wing and is swept up in a conspiracy that can shake the foundations of vampire society.
Vampire: The Masquerade is co-written by Tim Seeley, Tini Howard, and Blake Howard, with art by Devmalya Pramanik and Nathan Gooden, with colors by Addison Duke, letters by AndWorld Design, design by Tim Daniel, and covers by Aaron Campbell, Nathan Gooden, and David Mack. The first issue will hit store shelves on August 5th, 2020.
When Cecily Brine, a courier for the Twin Cities Camarilla, takes a mysterious younger vampire under her wing, she’s dragged into an insidious conspiracy. Will she be able to escape with her unlife and protect her aging, Alzheimer’s afflicted sister, or will she be yet another pawn sacrificed to the Masquerade?
Meanwhile, an Anarch coterie investigates a mysterious killing.
This card deck which is now available to pre-order on Modiphius.net as part of the Vampire: The Masquerade Collection is expected to ship in July. Pre-order players and GMs will immediately receive both full colour and Black White PDFs to print at home, so that can start using them right away.
Here are the details on these brand new decks which are an essential playing aid to enhance your Vampire chronicles playing experience.
This deck of cards gives you all the reference material you need for Disciplines, Blood Sorcery powers and rituals, and Thin-Blood Alchemy in your Vampire: The Masquerade games. With 80 colour and symbol coded cards for referencing Disciplines and 41 cards that include all Blood Sorcery powers and rituals, and all Thin-Blood Alchemy powers, these cards will keep your game moving smoothly.
This combined deck is perfect for players and Storytellers who want a quick reference and an easy way of keeping track of Disciplines, Blood Sorcery, and Thin-Blood Alchemy abilities and the rules associated with them. The Deck Includes:
A total of 121 full-colour cards 80 Disciplines and 41 Blood Sorcery powers and rituals, and Thin-Blood Alchemy abilities from the Vampire: The Masquerade core rulebook.
Each card features essential rules and description text to make for easy reference, and a page reference to the relevant section of the core rulebook.
Packaged in a duo tuckbox that makes for easy carrying to your game table.
Includes a PDF with both color and grey scale versions of the cards suitable for home printing.
Vault Comics has announced that they have partnered with Paradox Interactive to publish the official Vampire: The Masquerade comic book series. The first comic in the series will be available for purchase from comics retailers across the US in July 2020. The comic is co-written by Tim Seeley, Tini Howard, and Blake Howard, drawn by Devmalya Pramanik, Nathan Gooden, and colored by Addison Duke, with covers by Aaron Campbell.
From the internationally bestselling World of Darkness universe, Vault brings readers an official Vampire: The Masquerade comic series. Sink your teeth into the hidden world of vampires, ghouls, and hunters who live in the shadows and scheme among us. In the comic series, Cecily Baine, an enforcer for the Twin Cities’ elite cabal of Kindred (vampires), takes a mysterious young vampire under her wing and is swept up in a conspiracy that can shake the foundations of vampire society.
Each issue will include exclusive material for Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition of the tabletop RPG from Modiphius Entertainment. These materials enable readers to play alongside the unfolding comic events in their own chronicles.
Game developer and publisher Paradox Interactive has announced that they’ve purchased White Wolf Publishing from CCP Games in an all-cash deal. CEO Tobias Sjögren will lead White Wolf Publishing, which will operate as an independent entity with a dedicated team. White Wolf Publishing is a licensing business that owns and manages intellectual properties including World of Darkness, Vampire: The Masquerade and Werewolf: The Apocalypse.
White Wolf has a long history in the game industry mostly known for roleplaying games and books, the company has also produced card games, video games, and more. Even today, the company has a dedicated base of fans and a significant LARPing community. The deal includes all of White Wolf’s brands.
The all-cash deal was for “several tens of millions,” according to Paradox boss Fred Wester. It should be noted that those “tens of millions” is in Swedish Krona which is about 10 to 1 to US dollars. So 10m SEK is about $1.2 million.
In interviews Wester also noted that Vampire is “the world’s second best-selling role-playing (game) and is special because half of all players are women.”
With demographics mentioned, it’s likely this was a positive factor and shows how women are a major force in geek culture. Our Facebook demographics stats has fans of White Wolf just over 50% female.
Game developer and publisher Paradox Interactive has announced that they’ve purchased White Wolf Publishing from CCP Games in an all-cash deal. CEO Tobias Sjögren will lead White Wolf Publishing, which will operate as an independent entity with a dedicated team. White Wolf Publishing is a licensing business that owns and manages intellectual properties including World of Darkness, Vampire: The Masquerade and Werewolf: The Apocalypse.