Thieves & Kings

[Ron Edwards]

Hi there,

In a recent thread, our new friend, the Deranged of Nev-ness, wrote:

Anybody here read Mark Oakley's Thieves and Kings indie comic? Lots of cool Sorcery stuff in there, particularly along the lines of ultra-long-term shifts in the cosmic order starting on the interpersonal scale and working up to rock the foundations of reality... would be cool for the concept of victories from seemingly unrelated contests carrying over and cascading down the ages to affect events years or even eons later.

I split it into its own thread because it's a new topic, and also because, yes, I read Thieves & Kings, have been almost since its first few issues.

Soraya is clearly an awesome and classical sorceress; Oakley's using a cliche to get at some deeper issues, just as he's doing with Rubel (the typical D&D good-hearted master thief).

But Quinton ... this is a character who breaks most role-playing conventions of "story" and "protagonist" into teeny pieces. In a game like Sorcerer, Quinton would be a player-character, not an NPC. And how the hell does one do that?

Floor's open!

Best,
Ron

[Nev the Deranged]

Heh... I haven't been reading long enough to comment on my own topic >.<  How much do I suck?

I'm still saving up for the Red, Blue, and Black Books... (or was one Green?  I forget)

Other comics I read that could easily provide buku Sorcerer material include:

Gold Digger - the uberest comic out there, by Fred Perry, the miggediest mack in all comicdom.  If it's cool, it's in here.

Midnight, Mass - the Kadmons are a charming couple, reversing the traditional gender roles of demon-hunting teams (he's the spellcaster, she's the fighter).

Out There - Draedalus has been swallowing entire towns into his dark dimension... what are a handful of novice sorcerers to do?

A Distant Soil - Colleen Doran's dimension spanning tale includes a bit of everything that's cool, and characters with relationships you can really relate to.

Fray - Joss Whedon's future sequel to the Buffyverse puts the next Slayer in a world where mutants and freaks are the norm, Watchers are a suicide cult of whackos, and her mentor is... a demon?

Hunter: the Age of Magic - Harry Potter eat your heart out.  The original Merlin is a young man now, making his way in a world where he is the most powerful magic user alive... but is he the most savvy?  He'll need to be, or the fabric of reality may not survive.

There are a few more, but I don't want to drop a spambomb.

As for T&K itself...  ditto to everything Ron said.  It's a great read, Mark Oakley is taking his time to tell an amazing story that needs to be told at it's own pace.  I have ZERO idea what's going on, yet I devour every new issue like cheesecake.  Check it out.

Hopefully others here read it... maybe you can give me a clue =>[/b]

[Ron Edwards]

Wow. I thought I was the big comics dude, but look what I've been missing.

Thanks, Nev. This is the sort of information that I need, all the time.

Best,
Ron

[Nev the Deranged]

Ack... that's only a handful of the comics I try to keep up with.. I'm really trying to cut back, it's an expensive hobby!  

Ahh, how I adore it =>

One I forgot to mention over on the Blood Relics thread is Bazooka Jules in which young Jules is infected with White Sheep Technologies' prototype combat symbiont... and naturally, White Sheep wants it back!  There are dozens upon dozens of comics with this theme, it's a major comics cliche.  But some of them don't suck.  This is one.

Another one you'd probably like with the same theme is the Coffin. Also, the ill fated and sadly incomplete Steampunk has similar ideas, although far less sorcerous overtones than the Coffin.

And some with less similar themes but still excellent Sorcerer fodder:

Little Red Hot and the miniseries Little Red Hot: Bound.  Chane is a one woman army, an assassin so gifted at her job that even the Devil takes notice.  In fact, he marries her.

And how could I forget!  Dan Brereton's Nocturnals is one of comicdom's most beautifully painted (literally) series, featuring a motley cast of dark and creepy characters who, despite their obvious inhumanity, are as human as you and I. I recommend any of Dan's work with highest praise.

Radical Dreamer is also pretty cool.

cripes... there's so much more it's overwhelming.  I'm going to stop now to let myself and everyone else breathe.

Apologies galore for not actually posting about T&K itself.  =/

[Nev the Deranged]

Did I mention I'm a badge wearing member of the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Development?

Which is odd, since I've only got the initial issue of the book and can't seem to find any more >.<  

That, and I keep trying to find the first TPB of Hellboy to start the series.. I hate coming in halfway.  Anybody want to tell me which book to start with, cuz I can't seem to figure it out and every time I see one it doesn't say it's the first one.  Hint?