During a recent art auction held on his personal YouTube channel, independent comic book creator and Alterna Comics founder Peter Simeti unveiled plans for his upcoming sci-fi adventure series King Cryptid, including a reveal of the titular character himself. Inspired by Native American myths and folklore, King Cryptid is set in a world where fantastical creatures exist (i.e. Bigfoot, chupacabra,
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Over the weekend, veteran comic book creator Jon Malin launched a crowdfunding campaign for Godlike, his first new IP since the launch of Graveyard Shift in 2018. The Godlike campaign is already off to a very good start, having raised more than $100k in it’s first 24 hours. Written and illustrated by Malin (Jawbreakers: Lost Souls) and featuring colors by
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The office full of IP lawyers who are currently wearing the skin suit once known as Atari (allegedly)* recently announced that a new version of Food Fight is in the works, thanks to a collaboration with developers at Mega Cat Studios. Arriving in early 2022, new Food Fight will launch first as a timed exclusive for the Atari VCS PC/console
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On Friday, independent comic book creator Mandy Summers launched a crowdfunding campaign for Jack the Ripper: Vampire Hunter, a 48-page horror graphic novel loosely based on actual events. The project is already fully funded, having raised nearly $5 thousand at the time of this writing. Not too shabby for the first few hours. Written by Summers (Super Dead, Pirate Queen)
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We’ve enjoyed many different theme events here at The Splintering (the Festival of Dread, Jolly Jinglings, and Monochrome May and Attack Helicopter Week), but waiting until October for the next one just seems like too long of a wait… That’s why we’re christening this August as the inaugural 80s August! Starting next week, we’ll be posting reviews and features celebrating
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Game publisher Hamster has announced that NOVA2001, the lesser-known shoot-em-up arcade game, is now available on PS4 and Nintendo Switch as part of the digital Arcade Archives series. Originally released by UPL in 1983, NOVA2001 is the predecessor to Ark Area. In NOVA2001, players control a space fighter that can shoot in all directions (similar to Asteroids or Sinistar). Your
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Publisher Koei Tecmo recently announced that their horror title Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is scheduled for a digital release on 28 October for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, SeXbox, Nintendo Switch and Windows PC… and it will be censored on all platforms. Maiden of Black Water is an updated version of the Wii U release in 2014. Like other
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As of today (that’s right now), Alien Pixel Studios’ portal-hopping, puzzle platformer Unbound: Worlds Apart is now available on Nintendo Switch and PC (via Steam). Described as a dark fairy tale, Unbound is set in a fantasy world with gameplay featuring Metroidvania (nonlinear 2D adventure) elements. Players harness the world-altering portals to defeat monsters, solve puzzles and save reality from
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On Tuesday, developer FlyPenguin released a new gameplay trailer for BarricadeZ, their 2D tower defense survival game that is available now via Steam Early Access. This latest trailer features the game’s basic mechanics and a few of the more advanced features of the game, including how to set up trap hallways and “Autocrafting” (if a game insists on including crafting,
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Late last week, Global Frequency Studios launched a crowdfunding campaign for Mavrics: Origins Vol. One, a 60-page graphic novel intended for fans of Battletech, Gundam, and Armored Core (what – no Iron Soldier love?). At the time of this writing, the campaign is already fully funded, so now all that’s left to worry about is stretch goals and fulfillment. Written
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Publisher Ultimate Games has announced that Disturbing Forest – a genre-blending puzzle/adventure/survival game set in a fantasy world – will be coming to Steam PC in Q4 of 2021 with a Nintendo Switch release to follow in 2022. Disturbing Forest is the debut game by Panteon Studio, an independent development studio in Poland. According to Mateusz Kuliś, one of Panteon’s
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Earlier this month, independent comic book creator and Conquest Comics founder Liam Gray launched a crowdfunding campaign for Wonder Island: Hero of Brightwater, a 72-page graphic novel that includes the first three chapters of the Wonder Island saga. Intended for audiences of all ages, Wonder Island is a vibrant fantasy tale that looks to be inspired by multiple adventure video
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Taito and ININ Games have partnered up to release G-Darius HD, a remastered port of 1997’s arcade title… G-Darius. Developed by M2, G-Darius HD will be available physically and digitally for Nintendo Switch and PS4 later in 2021 (that’s for both North American and European territories). While the Darius shoot ‘em up series dates back to the mid-80s (or as
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On Tuesday, renowned comic book creator, Crusade Comics founder and “Teen Sensation” Billy Tucci launched a crowdfunding campaign for Shi: Omnibus Volume 1, the hardcover book that collects all 12 issues of Shi: Way of the Warrior, the three-part Tomoe miniseries, and the 48-page Shi Vs. Tomoe, making a thicc 488-page total. At the time of this writing, the campaign
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Over the weekend, independent comic book creator Wyatt Holliday launched a crowdfunding campaign for Heroine Adventure Magazine issue 1, “the world’s first-ever pulp heroines magazine.” Weighing in at a thicc 128 pages, Heroine Adventure #1 is a standalone, full-length pulp novel presented in 7×10 format. The project is already fully funded, so now all Holliday has to worry about is
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Well, well! It looks like M2 is getting into the Attack Helicopter Week spirit! The Japanese developer recently announced that Kyukyoku Tiger-Heli will be coming to both Nintendo Switch and PS4 in Japan as a “Toaplan arcade garage” collection. Scheduled for release on 28 October, Kyukyoku Tiger-Heli will be available both in digital format for 3,960 yen and a physical
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On Friday, veteran comic book creator Andy Smith launched a crowdfunding campaign for 1stMAN 2: Learning Curve, a 52-page graphic novel that promises to recreate energy of comic books from the 80s and 90s. 1stMAN himself is a superhero described as part Spider-Man and part Captain Marvel (with The Ray’s color scheme, to boot). Here’s the official plot synopsis taken
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We love our theme events here at The Splintering, like Festival of Dread, Jolly Jinglings, and Monochrome May, but sometimes people ask me, “Why do you do an Attack Helicopter Week?” To which I answer, “Why do you hate attack helicopters, ya’ bigot!?” Do we need a reason to celebrate all of the contributions to our society that have been
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On Thursday, the crowdfunding campaign for Snowman: A Cold Day in Hell hit the blessed “six figures” milestone, raising more than $100 thousand via Indiegogo. This keeps the “six figure” streak alive for publisher ALL CAPS Comics, who has hit the $100k mark on all of its original comic book campaigns so far. What finally pushed Snowman over the threshold?
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Game publisher Hamster has announced that DARWIN 4078, the classic vertical scrolling shoot-em-up arcade game, is now available on PS4 and Nintendo Switch as part of the digital Arcade Archives series. Originally released by Data East in 1986, DARWIN 4078 is the predecessor to 1987’s Super Real Darwin. In DARWIN 4078, your ship absorbs and converts the energy from other
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Publisher Binary Haze Interactive has announced that ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights is coming to both PS4 and PS5 (via backwards compatibility). Already available for Steam PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and SeXbox, ENDER LILIES is described as a “metroidvania” (or a nonlinear 2D action adventure game) set in a dark fairy tale world. Here’s the breakdown of ENDER
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Publisher Headup recently announced that Elder Games’ Cardaclysm: Shards of the Four will release for Xbox One and Nintendo Switch on 13 August. Available on Steam PC since February 2021 (or July 2020, if you count early access), Cardaclysm: Shards of the Four is a procedurally generated collectible card game featuring action RPG elements. Here is the official breakdown of
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Publisher GameMill Entertainment recently announced that Cruis’n Blast is coming to Nintendo Switch on 14 September. Originally developed by Raw Thrills and released in arcades in 2017, Cruis’n Blast is the latest in the long-running arcade racing series that began with Cruis’n USA in 1994. You can check out the latest trailer below, following a brief breakdown of Cruis’n Blast
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Independent comic book creator and Rune Cutter Comics founder Matt Burke recently launched a crowdfunding campaign for Butch Cleaver 2, the 52-page sequel to the first Butch Cleaver graphic novel that was successfully crowdfunded in 2020. Written and illustrated by Burke, Butch Cleaver 2 is a hyper-violent supernatural fantasy book that is described as an unholy combination of Batman, Swamp
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Publisher Eastasiasoft has announced that retro-inspired action platformer Metaloid: Origin will be available on PS4 starting Tuesday, 13 July (that’s tomorrow, at the time of this writing). Developed by Retro Revolution and ported by 7 Raven Studios, Metaloid: Origin is actually the sequel to a run-and-gun action title METAGAL. And while the name “Metaloid” might suggest an inspiration from Nintendo’s
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Over the weekend, veteran comic book creator Tyler Kirkham launched a crowdfunding campaign for Final Boss, an all new 40+ page high-octane graphic novel. At the time of this writing, the campaign is well beyond funded, so now all that is left to worry about is stretch goals and fulfillment, right? Returning to the book… Created, written and illustrated by
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Publisher Ratalaika Games has announced that Ametist Studio’s 2D action-platformer Within the Blade is coming next week to PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. Blending ninja action, stealth, and RPG gameplay elements with a throwback pixelated art style, Within the Blade looks to be designed for hardcore platformer fans, whether they are nostalgic for the punishing, retro games of the
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Earlier in July, independent comic book creator and Sleeveless Comics founder Micah Curtis launched a crowdfunding campaign for Englewood: Book 2, the 66-page follow up to the first issue that was successfully crowdfunded in 2019. Written by Curtis and featuring illustrations by Brian Martinez and colors by Armand Strange, Englewood is a street-level superhero story set on the crime-ridden streets
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Game publisher Hamster has announced that Sea Fighter Poseidon, the classic underwater action arcade game, is now available on PS4 and Nintendo Switch as part of the digital Arcade Archives series. Originally released by Taito in 1984, Sea Fighter Poseidon has only previously been available to play at home via a Japan-only release on PS2. In Sea Fighter Poseidon, players
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On Wednesday, independent comic book creator and Splatto Comics founder Richard C. Meyer launched a crowdfunding campaign for Knife-Hand: Blindspot, a 48+ page book set in the Jawbreakers universe. Written by Meyer (Iron Sights, 499) and illustrated by Kenneth Loh (G.I. Joe), Blindspot is a solo adventure featuring the titular Knife-Hand as he jumps into action to rescue the rest
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