Ten years of “Timberrrrr!” Can you believe that it’s already been a full decade since Giant Comics debuted Log, defender of the North Woods? While I was following the character and stories before it landed at its current, comfortable Alterna home, I have to admit, there’s still quite a bit I missed from those early years. Now, Legends of Log
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…and blood, and beasts, and bosomy bat-ladies… On Monday, veteran comic book creator and Astonishing Comics founder Andy Smith launched a crowdfunding campaign for Kor-Drath: The Reckoning volume 1, a 64-page fantasy graphic novel. The project is already fully funded, having raised more than $36 thousand at the time of this writing. Co-created by Andy Smith and Dennis Turner, Kor-Drath:
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Indie publisher Ratalaika Games recently announced that The Dark Prophecy – a new point & click adventure game, is scheduled to release on Friday, 16 September for PS4, PS5, Xbone, SeXbox and Nintendo Switch. Developed by Meridian4, The Dark Prophecy is inspired by the retro adventure games of the 90s, and features a 2D, pixel art visual aesthetic to match.
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“Pull the string! Pull the string!” Veteran comic book creator and Haunted Pizza founder Mark Poulton recently launched a crowdfunding campaign for Loose Threads, an 80-page superhero graphic novel. The project is already fully funded, having raised more than $7 thousand at the time of this writing. Written by Poulton (Graveyard Shift, Reaper Destroyer) and featuring illustrations by Cesar Madarro
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Over the weekend, veteran comic book creator Irene “Renie” Strychalski launched a crowdfunding campaign for Fiendish 2: Origins, a 70+ page fantasy horror graphic novel. The project is already well beyond fully funded, having raised nearly $100k at the time of this writing. Written and illustrated by Strychalski, Fiendish 2 builds on the story introduced in Fiendish: Demons, expanding on
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On the latest installment of Sit DOWN Sunday (hosted on Patrick Thomas Parnell’s YouTube channel Riot Press Productions), The Splintering founder Blake Worrell got another chance to discuss recent comic book news with comic creators Arvid Nelson, Matt Bahr, Keith Gleason and Irene (Renie) Strychalski. This week, we discussed Patrick’s ongoing Last of the Seekers campaign, Renie’s huge weekend surrounding her Fiendish
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Developer and publisher Gravity Game Arise recently announced that Grid Force: Mask of the Goddess from UK developer will release on 15 September 2022 for Steam PC. Developed by Dreamnauts Studio, Grid Force combines elements of bullet-hell shooters and tactical RPGs for a unique genre mishmash for up to four players. Here’s the official breakdown breakdown of Grid Force: Mask
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Publisher Hamster has announced that Champion Wrestler is now available on Nintendo Switch and PS4 as part of the digital Arcade Archives series. Originally released in arcades by Taito in 1989, Champion Wrestler is a one or two player game that puts players in the boots of a professional wrestler. You can choose from eight different wrestlers, each with their
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On Thursday, renowned comic book creator and Empire Comics founder Aaron Lopresti launched a crowdfunding campaign for Wraith of God: Blood Hunters, an 84+ page superhero/horror adventure book. Those pages will include an all-new Wraith of God story, plus at least two back-up stories featuring Lopresti’s Garbage Man and The Night Club. (There may be more added if certain stretch
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Today we’re taking an in-depth look at the swag packed with Tyger Blue – a comic by RGB Comics. Not quite an unboxing, but the amount of tchotchkes on display here warranted a more extensive overview than the written word can provide. On to the video! A full crowdfunding review of Tyger Blue will be posted here at The Splintering
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In 1994, a couple of years after words like “radical”, “gnarly” and “tubular” had gone out of vogue, Activision unwisely released an action platformer under the title Radical Rex for Super Nintendo, SEGA Genesis and SEGA CD. Fast-forward a few decades, and QUByte Interactive and PIKO Interactive have announced that Radical Rex is back – available today (8 September) for
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GS2 Games has released Mozart Requiem for Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Steam PC. Developed by HR Games, Mozart Requiem is described as a “baroque murder mystery” that weaves a fictional adventure into historical events. Here’s the official breakdown of Mozart Requiem from GS2 Games: Mozart Requiem is available now for PlayStation 4, Switch physical and digital, and digitally on PC.
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Over the weekend, independent comic book creator Luke Stone* launched a crowdfunding campaign for Rift Riders issue 1, an all-new, 32-page sci-fi adventure. Co-created by Luke Stone and Piper Steed, written by Steed and featuring illustrations by John Dillard (The Buckler) and colors by Edgar Tavitas, Rift Riders is a spinoff of Stone’s Hybrid series. Here’s the official pitch taken
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Strictly Limited Games has announced plans for limited physical editions of the point-and-click adventures in The Journey Down Trilogy for PS4 and Nintendo Switch. Developed by Skygoblin, The Journey Down Trilogy features varied environments, mysterious puzzles, and an “Afro-Caribbean vibe.” Here’s the official breakdown of The Journey Down Trilogy from Strictly Limited: The physical copies of The Journey Down Trilogy
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Earlier this week, NIS America released Prinny Presents NIS Classics Vol. 3 for the Nintendo Switch and Steam PC. This new compilation includes two NIS strategy RPGs: La Pucelle: Ragnarok and Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure. This is the first time that La Pucelle: Ragnarok is available in the West, as the original release was exclusively for the PSP in Japan.
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On Thursday, publisher Curve Games released Chenso Club, a new 2-D, rouguelike brawler for Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbone and Steam PC. Developed by Swedish studio Pixadome, Chenso Club is inspired by the side-scrolling arcade brawlers of yesteryear. Up to four players can choose from a team of super-powered ladies and defend humanity from a horde of invading aliens. Here’s the
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On Thursday, Japanese publisher Waku Waku Games announced that the retro-inspired competitive puzzle game Puzzle Battler! Mirai is now available for pre-order on the Nintendo Switch eShop. Featuring a throwback 8-bit style graphics, Puzzle Battler! Mirai promises a “variety of engaging battle tactics” and a fun, casual story a to tie it all together. Here’s the official breakdown of Puzzle
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Because “Beobattle” didn’t have the same ring to it. Independent comic book creator Vic King recently launched a crowdfunding campaign for Beowar, a 60-page, magazine-sized comic book. Written and illustrated by King (ASYL), Beowar is a fantasy adventure story featuring black and white artwork and a protagonist described as “purveyor of ale and tail.” Here’s the official pitch taken from
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Welcome back to 80s August, The Splintering’s month-long celebration of all things octogenarian… from a 20th century point of view. The SEGA Genesis is largely remembered as a 90s gaming powerhouse, but it was actually released in 1989. That makes a handful of the console’s early games babies of the 80s. Truxton (aka 達人 or Tatsujin in Japan… which means something like “expert”) is one
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Like Paper Mario – but everyone is dead. Publisher Digerati recently announced that the new “paper RPG” The Outbound Ghost will be released on 21 September for Steam and other PC storefronts for $19.99. A digital console release for Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbone, and SeXbox is expected later in 2022. Developed by Conradical Games, The Outbound Ghost is described
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Microids recently pulled back the curtain on New Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja by releasing the very first gameplay trailer. Originally developed by Data East, New Joe & Mac is a remastered version of the 1991 arcade game. This revamped release will include updated visuals, additional modes, and an extended story mode. Here’s the official breakdown of New Joe &
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Welcome back to 80s August, The Splintering’s month-long celebration of the greatest decade since the creation of Italian sausage. It’s a truly great thing that the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: the Cowabunga Collection is now available from Konami, perhaps for me more so than anyone else on earth. It’s like a pang of guilt has been lifted from my shoulders after a decade of
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Publisher LocaGames recently announced that the genre-blending Future Mirror will be localized into English and released on Steam PC this November. Released in Japanese earlier this year, Future Mirror (Japanese title Mirai Kagami) was developed by indie developer Satsuki no Yume (皐月の夢). The game features elements of adventure, fantasy, and mystery, and boasts engaging characters, a gripping storyline, and “comical
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Over the weekend, homebrew game publisher Mega Cat Studios announced that an all-new retro-styled puzzle game Roniu’s Tale is now available for the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Developed by Kunjee Studio, Roniu’s Tale is inspired by adventure/puzzlers of the 1980s such as Solomon’s Key and The Adventures of Lolo. Here’s the official breakdown of Roniu’s Tale from Mega Cat Studios:
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Welcome back to 80s August, The Splintering’s month-long celebration of the greatest decade. Ever. (Change my mind) Today, we’re going to take a look at Laffin’ Gas Cartoonies issue 3, which was published by Blackthorne Publishing in November 1986. Laffin’ Gas Cartoonies was an ongoing black-and-white anthology featuring several comedy and parody short stories. The book is very much in the spirit of
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Coffin Comics recently launched a crowdfunding campaign for Lady Death: Diabolical Harvest, the 16th chapter of the Lady Death saga since the character’s resurrection in 2015. Like many of the previous Lady Death projects before it, the project has scared up quite a bit of cash, having raised more than $400 thousand at the time of this writing. Diabolical Harvest
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Today we are remembering Jack Kirby on his birthday, August 28
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Welcome back to 80s August, The Splintering’s month-long celebration of the greatest decade since the martians built the pyramids. Today, we’re going to look at Capcom’s very first game, a 2D, vertically scrolling, space shooter titled Vulgus released in 1984. Humanity is under attack! Maybe. Who knows? I wasn’t able to discern any plot from my time with Vulgus, but that was pretty much par for
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“Greetings travelers…” A-hem! Nope, not today. Today – well, on Thursday, anyway – Blood Realm creator Robert Geronimo (!) launched a crowdfunding campaign for Little Maia Omnibus, a collected edition of three previously-released children’s stories. Written and illustrated by Geronimo and featuring colors by Jose Exposito, the Little Maia series is known for having vibrant, sequential artwork and no text.
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On Thursday, independent comic book creator and Riot Press founder Patrick Thomas Parnell launched a pair of dueling crowdfunding campaigns for Last of the Seekers, an all new sci-fi project featuring a transforming alternating robot toy and accompanying comic book.* Inspired by other transforming shape-changing bots of the 1980s, Last of the Seekers is an intergalactic adventure about a robot
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