Comics: Die: Loaded from Image Comics

 ROLL FOR INITIATIVE—DIE RETURNS WITH A NEW CAMPAIGN FROM KIERON GILLEN & STEPHANIE HANS THIS NOVEMBER

They’ve finished with the game.
The game isn’t finished with them.

Select praise for the Die series:

“Gillen subverts high fantasy adventure tropes with an infusion of creepy horror, resulting in an exploration of arrested adolescence and the effects of childhood trauma made truly haunting by Hans' realistic illustrations and Cowles' gloomy color palette.” —Library Journal

“Makes for a heady combination of fascinating worldbuilding, compellingly broken characters tearing each other apart (sometimes emotionally, sometimes literally), and vivid, striking artwork.” —io9/Gizmodo

"A deliciously dark Phantom Tollbooth-like journey told through a lens of broken humanity and a deconstruction of the role-playing game's roots. I am entranced." —Matthew Mercer, Critical Role

“Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans are a powerful merging of talents. Feels like a well-oiled team that’s been working together for years. Image Comics continues to innovate.” —Rick Remender, Deadly Class, The Sacrificers, Grommets

“Wonderfully nerdy and emotionally complicated and… utterly beautiful.” —The Hollywood Reporter

“A smart, gripping story about fantasy, gaming, aging and things that can’t be said.” —Al Ewing, Immortal Hulk

“A remarkable Jumanji-esque story for fantasy fans.” —GrimDark magazine

“If ever you’ve played a TTRPG and thought, ‘I’d love to just live in this world,’ this series is for you.” —The Comics Beat

Bestselling We Called Them Giants juggernauts Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans will return to the twisted RPG realm of Die in an all-new story arc, Die: Loaded. The brand new campaign will invite fans back to the British Fantasy Award winning, three-time Hugo Award nominated Image Comics series this November.

A year after the hellish game world events of Die #20, the players reunite in Die: Loaded to gather for Chuck’s wake. They’ve finished with the game. But the game isn’t finished with them. Get ready to roll initiative. Who’s going to DIE this time?

Over the course of its original run, Die topped Image Comics' sales charts, with multiple distributor-level sellouts and strong reorder activity fueling its rise. Often described as “goth Jumanji,” the series has gained a cult following since its 2019 debut and helped spark a wave of RPG-inspired storytelling.
This year, eagle-eyed fans caught a glimpse of new art from the series’ Die: Loaded return story arc displayed prominently on the Image Comics booth wrap at San Diego Comic-Con.

Alongside this spectacular new issue, will be The Die RPG Quickstart Game Guide, by Gillen and Hans—released simultaneously in November—for fans interested in trying out the Origin Award winning Die RPG in a standalone and inexpensive format. It includes everything needed to play—rules, characters and a multi-session scenario fans need to play. Just add dice, friends, and a desire to get sucked into a game.

Die: Loaded #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, November 12:
Cover A by Hans
Cover B by Peach Momoko

Readers interested in catching up or binge-rereading the Die series so far can read it digitally or find it in print format at local comic book shops, independent bookstores, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Indigo, and Waterstones.

Available in trade paperback:
Die Volume 1 (collects issues #1-5) - ISBN 9781534312708
Die Volume 2 (collects issues #6-10) - ISBN 9781534314979
Die Volume 3 (collects issues #11-15) - ISBN 9781534317161
Die Volume 4 (collects issues #16-20) - ISBN 9781534319264

Available in hardcover:
Die (collects issues #1-20) - ISBN 9781534323445

Comic Review: Batwoman (2017-) Vol. 1: The Many Arms of Death

Batwoman (2017-) Vol. 1: The Many Arms of Death
November 21, 2017

Art by: Stephanie Hans, Steve Epting

Cover by: Steve Epting

Written by: James T Tynion IV, Marguerite Bennett

Series: BATWOMAN 2017

Book Type: Collected Edition Graphic Novel

Publisher: DC

Fresh from her adventures in DETECTIVE COMICS, Katherine Kane returns with her own DC Rebirth title—and an intriguing new mystery to solve—in BATWOMAN VOL. 1: THE MANY ARMS OF DEATH.

Someone is selling cutting-edge weaponry on the black market, and their aim is to kill as many people—from as many nations—as possible. With help from her intrepid assistant, Julia Pennyworth, and their high-tech mobile command center, the yacht Sequoia, Batwoman quickly tracks the weapons to their source: a small, lawless island known as Coryana, home to pirates, outlaws…and a year of Batwoman’s life.

 Back before she joined the Bat-Family, Kate Kane spent some time with Coryana’s unofficial matriarch—and nearly lost herself in the process. Now her past is quickly catching up to her, and if Batwoman can’t figure out who to trust, the next thing she loses will be her life!

 Acclaimed writers Marguerite Bennett and James Tynion IV and artists Steve Epting (Captain America: The Winter Soldier), Stephanie Hans and Renato Arlem launch Batwoman into an explosive new era in BATWOMAN VOL. 1: THE MANY ARMS OF DEATH, collecting the BATWOMAN: REBIRTH one-shot special and issues #1-6.

I’m ashamed to admit, I’m not familiar with Batwoman. I know nothing about her so I went in blind to Batwoman Vol. 1: The Many Arms of Death.

And had my mind blown.

REBIRTH one-shot special and issues #1-6

Kate Kane’s story is one of tragedy, heartbreak, and survival that writers Marguerite Bennett and James Tynion IV strongly convey in each page of dialogue. From Kate’s tragic loss of her twin and mother as a child to her time in the military to the day she meets the Caped Crusader himself, Kate’s journey is chronicled in a few short sentences. I would have liked more about Kate’s past because it was just a fascinating story that took place over the course of a few years and in more than one place. The little bit that was told was what hooked me and had me finishing this volume in about an hour.

Just as important to a good story are the illustrations. Artists Steve Epting, Stephanie Hans, and Renato Arlem beautifully bring to life Kate’s world and don’t shy away from depicting the harsher aspects of her life. The details in each image really draw the eye to the rough action scenes as well as the raw emotions on Kate’s face. I loved all three artists’ contributions.

All in all Batwoman Vol. 1, The Many Arms of Death was a good introduction to a character I knew nothing about. I would have loved a more in-depth look into her past but I still managed to connect to this character through her will to survive and make amends. She’s a tortured character, more so than the more well known Batman, but she has a realistic complexity that makes her more interesting and in my opinion, that complex nature of hers should be explored a lot better in future volumes.

Sheep Rating: 3 ½ “Need More Background” Sheep

Adria Reyes