AFTERSHOCK RUMBLINGS Newsletter For Tuesday, March 16

MARCH 16, 2021

Stop us if you’ve heard this one. A warlock, sprite, wizard, night elf and dragon stumble into a bar on Chicago’s North Side... It could happen if the fates have their way in THE BEQUEST, materializing tomorrow, St. Patrick’s Day, at comic shops throughout the Windy City – and everywhere else in this earthly plane. As co-creator and writer Tim Seeley (DARK RED, BRILLIANT TRASH) put it in discussion with The Hollywood Reporter in December, “It’s the story of a band of adventures from a Dungeons & Dragons-style fantasy world who have been stationed on our world to do a very specific job – stop the black market trade of magic items for technology.” “I love fantasy,” he continued. “I spent a good portion of my career drawing The Dark Elf adaptations by R.A. Salvatore and I wanted to smash together the tropes of that genre with the world we live in today. Our ‘heroes’ are essentially thieves, as they steal treasure. How does a character like that play in modern America, a place teetering between ‘woke’ liberalism and ignorant conservatism?” The series reunites Seeley with artist and co-creator Freddie E. Williams II(HeMan/Thundercats, Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). “Tim and I really clicked when we worked together on Injustice vs. Masters of the Universe,” Williams said. “So even during that project I started asking him if he had some creator ideas that we might be able to flesh out together, and that’s how things got started.” Prepare for Adventure – and Read Dangerously! HERE’S WHAT’S SHAKING THIS WEEK AT YOUR COMIC SHOP

THE BEQUEST #1 New Series! Writer: Tim Seeley Artist: Freddie E. Williams II Welcome to the high fantasy world of Tangea! A land where wizards and warriors battle dragons in dark dank dungeons! Where thieves pillage ancient ruins and priests answer the audible words of their great gods! Welcome to Chicago, Illinois! Where the magical items from Tangea are being traded on the black market and are messing everything up. Now, a group of Tangea adventurers must go undercover in our modern world to stop artifacts and monsters from falling into the wrong hands. But how will they fare in a world without wizards and warriors? A world without heroes? Each issue of BEQUEST features 24 pages of story and art with a cardstock cover! AT SHOPS: MARCH 17th CLICK HERE FOR THE PREVIEW AT THE BEAT.COM

MANIAC OF NEW YORK #1: SECOND PRINTING Writer: Elliott Kalan Artist: Andrea Mutti Four years ago, a masked slasher began stalking the streets of New York City. Maniac Harry is inhuman, unkillable and unstoppable. Which is why the authorities’ solution has been to ignore him, and let New Yorkers adapt to a world where death can strike at any moment. When Maniac Harry starts killing his way through the subway system, trauma-haunted political aide Gina Greene and disgraced NYPD detective Zelda Pettibone become determined to go rogue and destroy him. But how can they fight a monster when they can’t fight City Hall? AT SHOPS: MARCH 17th CLICK HERE FOR THE CBR.COM REVIEW

RED ATLANTIS #5 Final Issue! Writer: Stephanie Phillips Artist: Robert Carey A week ago, Miriam Pascal was a college student worrying about exams. Now, she’s trying to harness new-found supernatural powers, and stop a secret Russian organization known as Red Atlantis from infiltrating the US government. International espionage and long-buried family secrets clash head on as Miriam races to save the world. AT SHOPS: MARCH 17th CLICK HERE FOR THE MONKEYS FIGHTING ROBOTS PREVIEW

DEAD DAY: THE COMPLETE SERIES Writer: Ryan Parrott Artist: Evgeniy Bornyakov If the dead could come back for just one night, would we want them to? Meet the Haskins, a seemingly normal suburban family, as they prepare for the annual macabre holiday known as “Dead Day” – when the deceased rise from the grave from sunset to sunrise. Some come back to reunite with family and friends, others for one last night of debauchery, still others with only one thing on their decomposing mind: revenge. From writer Ryan Parrott (OBERON, VOLITION, Power Rangers) and artist Evgeniy Bornyakov (DESCENDENT, YOU ARE OBSOLETE) comes an unnerving tale of existential horror with grave consequences. This volume features issues #1-5. “DEAD DAY is something to celebrate.”– Brett Schenker, Graphic Policy AT SHOPS: MARCH 17th CLICK HERE FOR THE AIPT PREVIEW

ANIMOSITY: YEAR THREE One day, the Animals woke up... The Animals rest and consider their path. Where have they come from? Where can they go? When they were taken from the wild, how did their fates change humanity forever? What will they become? From creator/writer Marguerite Bennett(INSEXTS, DC Comics Bombshells, Batwoman) with artwork by Rafael De Latorre(SUPERZERO) and Elton Thomasi, this 216-page hardcover volume features the entire third year of AfterShock's flagship title, issues #19-28. “...a classic series that will be remembered for years to come.” – David Gladman, Big Comic Page Pre-Order via Your LCS by Monday, March 29th Order Code: FEB210994 AT SHOPS: APRIL 21st FAST APPROACHING! Reserve Now at your Local Comic Shop. Click Covers for Previews! PHANTOM ON THE SCAN #1 IN SHOPS: April 14th Writer: Cullen Bunn Artist: Mark Torres The comet brought him a gift. He’d like to give it back. Order Deadline: March 22nd Order Code: FEB210979 UNDONE BY BLOOD or THE OTHER SIDE OF EDEN #2 IN SHOPS: April 14th Writers: Lonnie Nadler, Zac Thompson Artist: Sami Kivelä He aimed to take back what was his. The brotherhood had other ideas. Order Deadline: March 22nd Order Code: FEB210986 JUST ANNOUNCED Earlier today, publishers selected as Gold Sponsors of this year’s FREE COMIC BOOK DAY were announced by Diamond Comic Distributors and we at AfterShock could not be more honored and excited to be counted among them! Our FCBD offering, WE LIVE: THE LAST DAYS, is really a gift to you, the fans, who have made WE LIVE a breakout hit and helped set the stage for the next chapter in Roy Miranda and Inaki Miranda’s heart-wrenching end-of-the-world adventure, coming later this year. Before Tala and Hototo began their long journey, there was the beginning of the end of Earth as we know it. In the days after the bracelets fell to earth, a group of young friends embarked on a journey to find one of their own. In the Broken Lands, on the adventure of their lifetimes, these friends face the seedy world of Bracelet Diggers—the dark underground of criminals dealing life-saving bracelets, to those who can afford it most. WE LIVE: THE LAST DAYS offers another look at the intriguing world of WE LIVE—a look no less whimsical...or heartbreaking. Commemorating 20 years of free-to-you comics, FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2021 moves the worldwide event back to a single day – August 14 – and our Gold Sponsorship means that WE LIVE: THE LAST DAYS will be available EVERYWHERE FCBD is celebrated! Late summer can’t get here fast enough!