Honored samurai, ruthless ronin, wayward vagabonds, shadowy ninja and helpless villagers... welcome.
Opening Volley
WOW! That’s a clickbait title if there ever was one, and now that I’ve written it, I might just have to make that come true. (HA!) Before I get to the good stuff, I need to apologize to the fine people I was planning to showcase this week, but the projects I am flapping in reader faces today are time-sensitive.
Main Event
I took last week off to write, and indeed I did get some writing done (to be published for reader pleasure on the 29th!), however, I spent most of my time with a headache and a slight fever. Fear not, that time was not overly wasted as I came across some fine content that I’d like to share this issue.
First, is The Ronin of Okane (Volume 1), an adult graphic novel akin to Heavy Metal Magazine or Epic Illustrated. (WARNING: EXPLICIT CONTENT.) 50 full-color pages mashing cyberpunk, samurai and Japanese mythology.
Our setting is Okane: a futuristic urban ecosystem where humans, robots and creatures from Japanese folklore live side by side. Crime syndicates big and small rule its neon streets, and the slave markets of old are thriving. Through its dark, corrupted streets, we follow Nyx and Noguchi as they struggle to thrive and survive in a city where money means everything.
The project has already met and surpassed its original and three stretch goals. The art is neon-soaked and highly manga/anime-influenced.
Next, is a Humble Bundle that is near and dear to my heart. As many of you may know, my current WIP adventure thriller cum horror splatterpunk novel is a love letter to Vampire Hunter D (read the teaser short story “Castle Oblivion“). So when I woke up the other morning to discover that 29 of the novels were all in epub format for a mere $15 (that’s FIFTY CENTS A BOOK!), I threw my money at my screen. I already have a couple of the books in paper format (and have a signed copy of #34(?)), but I simply couldn’t pass up this deal. (Who’s complaining about 128GB phone drive space now? Not me!)
The Vampire Hunter D Humble Bundle covers volumes 1 - 29 (with some volumes being multiple books — which were originally released separately — collected into one. In one fell swoop, readers can enjoy countless hours of Hideyuki Kikuchi’s sprawling post-apocalyptic world of monsters, mutants and massive castles.
We never meet without parting
Next issue... Having made some new author and publishing friends this month, I am going to share their projects with you. AAAAAND... as promised, on the 29th(!), I will be releasing a new teaser chapter from the actual WIP novel — something gory.
Until then!
Made in DNA
That sounds intense! Cool color rendering on the pages.