In November 2011, I took on the role of Marketing Director for Steve Jackson Games. I telecommute, which helps me get a lot more done than I would if I was down in Austin. I recently spent a week down there and talked about my trip when I returned from Austin on my blog. The experience reminded me of working for a restaurant or a newspaper because everything hinges upon product getting out the door in a timely fashion. For a small company with a big reputation, day-to-day operations can get pretty crazy especially when we’ve got a lot of new staff.

Staff Changes

Due to promotions and shifting positions, Leonard Balsera of Evil Hat Productions fame is now the new Munchkin Hireling. Angie, the former assistant, is now in Warehouse 23 customer service rep and Liegh, who was Phil Reed’s assistant, got promoted to Warehouse 23 manager. We’ve also got a new person at the head of MIB Control and in charge of convention planning. Kevin is way, way, way more organized than I could ever hope to be!

Valentine’s Day Promotion

Warehouse 23 is an online store where you can buy games and toys from a variety of publishers — including Steve Jackson Games. It is the sister store to the digital arm dubbed e23. For Valentine’s Day, the Sparkly Good Fairy dropped by the warehouse. The Official Munchkin Bookmark of Sparkly Good Monster Mayhem will be included with each order while supplies last. Customers who place an order of $75 or more will also get a Munchkin Fairy Dust Handbag of Holding, too! There are some items on Warehouse 23 that you can’t buy anywhere else. If you’ve never checked out this store before, I’d definitely take a peek at the Warehouse 23 exclusives for some Cthulhu-licious options.

I was happy we could put together this promotion because I’ve been learning how dedicated Munchkin fans are to this game line. To give you a hint? One rare Heart of the Anomaly Munchkin card was sold for over $1,000 dollars on eBay! My goal is to figure out how we can get promo cards and bookmarks out to fans. We’ve got a lot of ideas brewing that have to be balanced against convention season and getting new games and toys out the door. Did you know that Munchkin is now in Target? Yeah, pretty exciting stuff.

New for 2012

Several fans are eagerly awaiting the debut of the Plush Tentacle. It’s bendable and it has a belt loop, too. I’ve already heard some folks are planning on incorporating the tentacle into their Halloween costumes.

I’ve also been preparing for a few big releases this quarter. Munchkin 8 – Half Horse, Will Travel, which was drawn by John Kovalic, has two new fantasy races in the supplement to core Munchkin. Now, if you’ve been following John’s art from the beginning, you will notice a huge difference in the line art. The cards a lot more detailed due to his style enhancements. The Good, the Bad, and the Munchkin 2 – Beating a Dead Horse is the second expansion to come out this spring followed by Munchkin the Guild. Len Peralta, who draws the Geek-A-Week cards, is the artist for the Munchkin the Guild booster.

The other new release I want to mention is the Zombie Dice expansion dubbed Zombie Dice 2 – Double Feature. I haven’t played the alternative versions yet, so I’m anxious to see what they came up with. Zombie Dice has turned out to be a fun game when we’re entertaining folks. My brother loved it!

Revisiting 2011

I’m not sure if you’ve had the chance to check out what was released in 2011 from Steve Jackson Games, but I have two lists for you just in case. First, you’ll want to check out the GURPS releases in 2011 which includes GURPS Horror by Kenneth Hite. The cover was illustrated by Chris Shy, who has done a lot of work for White Wolf Publishing and other game, movie, and comic companies. Second, be sure to read the 2011 Steve Jackson Games release list to get a feel for what came out last year.

‘Til next time!

Related posts:

1. Sneak Peek at Zombie Chibithulhu, Munchkin Axe Cop, Munchkin Conan and more!
2. Inside ACD Games Day
3. Fat Dragon Games to publish Call of Cthulhu cardstock terrain sets

The Flames Rising Shop at RPGNow has over 20 games for $12 Each! A New Year is the perfect time to try a new game, so check out these great deals now!

Get great deals from White Wolf, Archaia Entertainment, Pelgrane Press, Green Ronin, Eden Studios, Crafty Games, Cubicle 7 and more!

There are some amazing deals included in this promotion and this is the perfect chance to stock up on games you’ve always been curious about and didn’t pick up when they first launched such as Artesia: Adventures in the Known World or Dark Ages: Vampire. There are amazing deals on newer games as well, Spectrum Games’ Lovecraftian Macabre Tales and Pelgrane Press’ Ashen Stars are well worth picking up.

At $12 each, there are huge discounts on some of these core products and most of them have never been marked down this much, and are likely not going to be ever again. For example Legend of the Five Rings 4th Edition from AEG is $59.99 in print and normally sells for $35.99 in PDF, at $12 that is 65% off the already discounted PDF price! The Burning Empires RPG sells for $45 in print and $23.99 in PDF, so this is just about 50% off and this one is almost never on sale.

So, what are you waiting for? Stop by the New Year, New Game Sale today and get over 20 books for $12 each!

Related posts:

1. GM’s Day Sale at RPGNow!
2. New Games in the New Year at RPGNow
3. White Wolf – Friday the 13th Sale!

You’re never too old to have fun at Halloween, so start searching DriveThruComics.com and DriveThruRPG.com for these pumpkins…

Will it be a great Treat – an awesome free product – or will it be a fun Trick, with who-knows-what on the other end?

Participating publishers include White Wolf, Eden Studios, Top Cow Productions, Super Genius Games, Moonstone Books, 2000 AD, Monarch Comics, FunSizedGames, UnWrecked Press, Apex Books and more!

There are 13 Jack-o-Lanterns to Find on each site! Find `em, click `em, and share tips where to look on the DriveThruComics Facebook page.

Also stop by the DriveThruRPG Drunken Goblin page for great Halloween savings on eBooks from White Wolf, Pelgrane Press, Arc Dream and more!

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1. Trick ‘r Treat Movie Review
2. Happy Halloween from FR Press!
3. Play Dirty: Happy Halloween

FlamesRising.com is excited to announce that all this week we are featuring exclusive previews, essays, reviews and more from Steve Jackson Games.

SJ Games Week begins today and ends on Friday, July 29th, 2011.

In addition to its selection of GURPS hobby games, Steve Jackson Games publishes dice, card and board games, too. Titles like Munchkin are heavily inspired by geek culture and often have a comedic tone. In the past, we have offered some coverage by offering a Munchkin Zombies preview, The Stars Are Right review, Munchkin Cthulhu review, Cthulhu Dice review and a Munchkin Bites 2: Pants Macabre review.

One of the other items Steve Jackson Games produces is toys, like their series of Chibithulhu plushies, which are guaranteed to induce a scream or two. Most recently, Steve Jackson Games won an 2011 Origins Award for their Cthulhu Dice Bag, offered in green and the limited edition purple.

This week also marks a special date in the history of the company, for Steve Jackson Games is gearing up to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of the Munchkin CCG. The Munchkin Czar himself, Andrew Hackard, will judge this contest and prizes will be awarded by Steve Jackson Games.

Munchkin 10 Year Anniversary Contest!

In conjunction with Steve Jackson Games week at Flames Rising, Steve Jackson is providing our readers with the chance to win a signed Munchkin game, supplement or booster pack.

Help Steve Jackson Games celebrate the ten-year anniversary of this popular card game! For a chance to win, tell the Munchkin Czar in the comments below about your favorite memory playing Munchkin.

The Munchkin 10 Year Anniversary Contest runs through midnight on Friday, July 29th, 2011 so be sure to enter today!

Contest Details

Steve Jackson Games will give away three prizes to the first, second and third place winners. Each winner will pick a Munchkin game, expansion or booster pack of their choice and will also receive a +10 Bag of Munchkin d6.

Please read the fine print below to find out how you can win!

Good luck!

Related posts:

1. Sneak Peek at Zombie Chibithulhu, Munchkin Axe Cop, Munchkin Conan and more!
2. SJGames Week: Interview with Munchkin Illustrator John Kovalic
3. SJGames Week: Interview with Steve Jackson

Some girls prefer diamonds and roses, but I get more out of things that I can either use or collect. Enter the Dice Goblin dice bags from an independent artist. Handmade and sturdy, I often get compliments on mine. Available in the U.S. and internationally, the Dice Goblin dice bags are on sale now.

While these bags are unisex, whenever I pull mine out the screams of 1,000 squees can be heard throughout a convention hall.

Available in the U.S. and internationally, these handmade dice bags are twenty-percent off through Saturday, July 30th.

You can also order custom Dice Goblin dice bags, which aren’t that much more expensive than the sale-priced ones. To see a sample of all the Dice Goblins this artist has available, be sure to check out the adopted Dice Goblin dice bag photo gallery. There’s some really cute ones in the archive and I’m thinking about picking up one in a different color. Why? To color-coordinate with my purple dice, of course!

Related posts:

1. MEGA SALE at Noble Knight Games!
2. Little Boy Blue Sale at Horror Mall
3. Fantasist Enterprises Special Sale

Flames Rising is pleased to announce the latest release in the Instant Antagonists line. Instant Antagonists are systemless creatures or beings designed for use in existing modern supernatural/horror games. Many will be supernatural in nature; some will be (at least nominally) human. While one antagonist may be truly evil, others are simply selfish, immoral or may even be victims themselves.

Looking for a new twist on an old legend or trope? This product is a perfect addition to a GM’s modern horror game collection. The Instant Antagonists line offers details on each monster’s origins, powers and plenty of story hooks to include them in your campaign or evening’s session.

The Creepy Cottontail

At first glance, Queenie looks like any other cottontail — but is he? Come a little closer and see for yourself why this nefarious hare has cultists (and non-cultists alike) running around in circles.

Is an Outer God really trapped inside the body of a fluffy bunny rabbit? Will he enslave the minds of pet store owners everywhere? Or will The Creepy Cottontail entice a small town’s population to turn on each other in a bloody fight to the finish?

The Creepy Cottontail is one creature you can’t fall asleep to forget…

The Creepy Cottontail author, Monica Valentinelli (and Flames Rising project Manager) shares some notes on the design and writing process that went into this product.

Inside the New Instant Antagonist, The Creepy Cottontail

Having conducted a lot of occult research for my writing — both game-and-story-related — there’s a particular concept that always stands out in my mind. Performing a ritual (both real and/or imagined) is work, but the end result of that “job” doesn’t always yield the same results every time. Take a basic love potion for example. Do you have any idea how many different types of love potions there are? In many cases, not only do you have to get the ritual down pat, but you also have to worry about backlash, timing and the integrity of the materials. Even then, there’s no guarantee that magic will function the same way twice because there’s one-too-many factors that you cannot control.

The “cost” of doing magic is something I feel is often overlooked because some view it as an obstacle that gets in the way of a story or a game. I look at it as a characterization of a protagonist or… in this case… Instant Antagonist.

A heavy-handed Lovecraft influence combined with my love of animals shaped the latest addition to FR Press’s line. Dubbed “The Creepy Cottontail,” you’ll find this is no ordinary bunny rabbit. After all, when a particular Outer God screws up, as the opening fiction suggests, there’s no telling what will happen.

While the idea of a cute, bunny rabbit crossed with Lovecraft may seem like a cosmic joke — take it from the cottontail’s perspective for a second. You’re small. If you’re out in the wild, you can escape most people’s attention. If you’re someone’s pet, you have a captive audience.

Now add psychic powers on top of that. And cultists. And psychically-controlled cultists.

Suddenly, what appears cute and harmless turns into something truly terrifying. And that, my fellow gamers, is the point of The Creepy Cottontail. In this case, it’s not about what you expect. It’s about what you don’t.

Since FR Press wants to move forward with the line, I decided to make a few changes based on reviews. (Incidentally, this product is just one of many that are planned behind-the-scenes, so your feedback will be crucial to ensuring these systemless products are useful for your game.) The size of this Antagonist is double that of the original and we added a Table of Contents to help you reference the product a little easier. Then, I decided to separate the character portion of the creature from the plot-related items. In my mind, I viewed the character development to be separate from how The Creepy Cottontail might fit into your game. In this way, I hoped to highlight the difference between statting up and describing a bad guy versus deploying him into your story.

For the plot portion, I decided against using story hooks because I found I was populating those ideas throughout the product and didn’t want to bore you with repetition. Instead, I added tips on how to blend each Origin story into your game from both the cultist’s and the non-cultist’s point-of-view. Genres and Plot Twists are new this time around and they are exactly as they sound. While this product is skewed for modern horror, I couldn’t help but pop in a few options for other styles of play, too.

To address the GM’s potential concerns, I also added a Troubleshooting section designed to anticipate some common errors, opportunities and frustrations.

This isn’t the first time I blended an animal’s perspective with Lovecraft. So if you like the idea behind The Creepy Cottontail, don’t be afraid to listen to Prey on Pseudopod.org for free.

I sincerely hope you’ll consider picking up this addition to the Instant Antagonists line. If you do? I encourage you to review the product to help shape its future. After all, this product isn’t for me. It’s for you.

Easter eggs and all.

Monica Valentinelli – 2011

You can purchase The Creepy Cottontail today at the Flames Rising RPGNow Shop.

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For those of you who love Vampire: the Masquerade as much as I do, you’re probably aware that its hitting a twenty year anniversary milestone this year. My old favorites like Gangrels and Toreador were already on my mind — then I started re-reading Dork Tower.

And I groaned. A lot. Then smiled… Then secretly wished I, too, was headed to The Grand Masquerade.

Before I get to my experience reading Clanbook Perky, here’s the information on the sale:

All Dork Storm Press comics are twenty-five percent off through Friday, July 15th.

Next year, Dork Tower will be celebrating its fifteen year anniversary and quite a few of the earlier comics were inspired by Vampire: the Masquerade. One of the first times we meet Gilly, who is a recurring character in the strip, we find out she’s playing in a vampire LARP.

Well, I’m here to tell you there is nothing more horrifying (and funny) than the bonus material in Heart of Dorkness. Written by Phil Masters and illustrated by Aaron Williams, you’ll find out about such mysterious archetypes in Clanbook Perky as the undead gamer, the weekend bloodsucker and, of course, the closet perky. The more perky you are? The more resilient you are to sunlight. Truly terrifying!

In addition to Clanbook Perky, you’ll also find a parody adventure for D&D 3rd Edition called The Sheep on the Borderlands: Or How I Learned How to Stop Worrying and Love the Orcs. Lots of familiar faces in the industry worked on that, too, including Jeff Tidball and Michelle and John Nephew.

If you’re thinking about picking up a volume of Dork Tower, it’s a great time to get a copy because of the twenty-five percent off sale on Dork Storm Press comics at DriveThruComics.com.

For more Vampire: the Masquerade themes, you’ll probably want to pick up Dork Shadows, too.

So, for six dollars and some change, you can have fun reading comics that manage to stab you in the heart and make you laugh… all at the same time…

Related posts:

1. Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition eBook is available now!
2. Announcing the Vampire: the Masquerade Retrospective and Open Call
3. Movie Mayhem Sale at DriveThruComics.com!

To celebrate the release of the upcoming video game, Top Cow Productions has drastically reduced prices on The Darkness comics at DriveThruComics.com. The sale ends on Friday, so if you’re interested in picking up either a single issue or a trade, you’ll want to take advantage of the sale. Prices on The Darkness comics normally range from $2.99 to $34.99, but in this sale you’ll be able to pick them up for almost half off the cover price.

Get The Darkness Comics On Sale Now at DrivethruComics.com

If you’re not familiar with The Darkness, we recommend checking out some of our other posts:

Trailer for The Darkness II Video Game

Curious about The Darkness II video game? Check out this video interview and preview at E3!

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1. Darkness II: Confession on Free Comic Book Day
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3. Preview of Darkness/Darkchylde: Kingdom of Pain

Gaming innovators celebrate iconic franchise with Anniversary Edition Book and Fan Convention

White Wolf invites you to join them in celebrating a milestone in vampire mythology that changed modern vampire pop culture forever.

Since its 1991 debut, the cultural significance of Vampire: The Masquerade can be seen and felt at virtually every turn and in every medium today, not only on the gaming world but also on modern vampire mythos. The Vampire franchise has since grown into an unparalleled worldwide phenomenon that has inspired thousands of trading cards, hundreds of role playing game supplements, dozens of novels, two award-winning video games, and a cult television series.

To mark this momentous occasion, White Wolf has kicked off a year-long 20th Anniversary celebration that will culminate with the release of a unique book and a mass gathering of fans in New Orleans.

A wealth of defining material from two decades of the best game supplements have been revised and updated with all-new material to provide the ultimate experience for any vampire aficionado — a massive, 500 page, full- color, ultra deluxe tome that is equal parts coffee table art book and extensive gaming compendium called Vampire: The Masquerade – 20th Anniversary Edition.

This collectible book is available for direct advance purchase only through July 1st, after which it will no longer be available in this format. The book release coincides with The Grand Masquerade 2011, a gala fan convention that blends together glamour and style with the historic intimacy of the world’s most iconic vampire epicenter, New Orleans French Quarter, September 15-18. Events will include elaborate live action games, table top RPGs, the Vampire: the Eternal Struggle US Championship, special guests, lavish parties and the next look at the future of the World of Darkness.

Additionally, customers who advance purchase a copy of the deluxe book and attend The Grand Masquerade will have an exclusive cover treatment only available to Grand Masquerade attendees.

For more information on Vampire 20th, go to VampireTheMasquerade.com. Tickets for The Grand Masquerade may be purchased at TheGrandMasquerade.com.

About White Wolf Publishing, Inc.
Since its entry into the roleplaying game market in 1991, White Wolf has grown into an RPG publishing powerhouse, maintaining an impressive market share for two decades. With collective book sales in excess of 5.5 million copies, it is one of two undisputed worldwide publishing leaders for pen-and-paper roleplaying games. White Wolf properties have been licensed for television series, comic books, action figures, console and computer video games, coin-operated arcade games, professional wrestlers, replica props and weapons, interactive media events and myriad merchandise. More information on White Wolf can be found at White-Wolf.com.

Related posts:

1. Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Ann. Edition Now in Print and More [Updated]
2. Vampire the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition Review
3. Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition eBook is available now!

Wizards of the Coast today announced the forthcoming launch of its new, highly anticipated Dungeons & Dragons board game, Conquest of Nerath, set for retail release on June 21, 2011. The Conquest of Nerath board game provides exciting game play for strategy gamers interested in exploring the world of Dungeons & Dragons while offering current RPG players a whole new way to experience D&D. Conquest of Nerath is the third major D&D board game to be released following Castle of Ravenloft and Wrath of Ashardalon.

“Our D&D board games are designed to provide a variety of new play styles within the Dungeons & Dragons brand portfolio, with a focus on the strategic and creative thinking players love,” said Liz Schuh, Dungeons & Dragons Brand Director, Wizards of the Coast. “We’re excited to continue the legacy of our highly successful Dungeons & Dragons board games with the launch of Conquest of Nerath, which promises new D&D lore, rugged challenges, and hard-fought battles galore.”

In this thrilling new game, players gather armies of footsoldiers and siege engines, monsters, and dragons in an effort to protect the fate of the fragile League of Nerath against the undead. Four great powers struggle for survival in a war of worlds that spans the snowy expanse of the Winterbole Forest and the sun-warmed coasts of ancient Vailin. In the North, the undead legions of the Dark Empire of Karkoth march against the weakening League of Nerath. To the south, the infernal Iron Circle launches its own goblin hordes in a campaign of conquest against the elves and corsairs of Vailin. Players must choose their sides, pickup their weapons, and fight for their destiny.

Conquest of Nerath also includes a variety of tools and accessories that work together to set the stage for the ultimate battle, creating an intense gaming experience for anyone who plays.

The Conquest of Nerath board game includes a rulebook, full-color fold-out game board, dice, 110 cards, and 252 plastic playing pieces representing champions and the armies of Nerath, Karkoth, the Iron Circle, and Vailin. The board game will be available on June 21st for a suggested retail price of $79.99 at local hobby game stores nationwide. In addition to Conquest of Nerath, Castle of Ravenloft and Wrath of Ashardalon board games are also currently available online and in stores.

Dungeons & Dragons is the iconic roleplaying game of fantasy and imagination that is part storytelling, part social interaction and part chance. Visit DungeonsAndDragons.com for more details on the Dungeons & Dragons Conquest of Nerath board game or follow D&D on Facebook and Twitter.

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3. Dungeons & Dragons: Daggerdale is now available!

The original standard for fantasy roleplaying is taking another step in its storied pop culture history as the Dalelands of the Forgotten Realms is brought to life for gamers and fantasy enthusiasts across the world. Atari, one of the world’s most recognized publishers and producers of interactive entertainment and Bedlam Games announced today the release of the highly anticipated Dungeons & Dragons: Daggerdale on Xbox LIVE Arcade for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC.

Media have rallied around Dungeons & Dragons: Daggerdale’s console based hack and slash qualities in the RPG genre:

• “Daggerdale is a hack and slash loot fest…” – G4

• “At its heart, Daggerdale is all about dungeon crawling, baddie-bashing, and loot-scoring – and I don’t mean that in a derogatory way…” – RPGFan

• “Upon the lofty pedestal, you discover an ancient artifact known as the controller…” – GamesRevolution

• “…the way Dungeons & Dragons was always meant to be played.” – GamePro

Dungeons & Dragons: Daggerdale, a hack and slash action role playing game set in the deep mythology of the Forgotten Realms, is the first Dungeons & Dragons video game for connected consoles. Players are summoned by a mysterious mage and given the duty of defending their homeland as Rezlus, an evil Zhentarim Cleric looks to bring the power of the Black Lord Bane to Daggerdale. Restore order to the Dalelands by unlocking the secrets of the Mines of Tethyamar, defeating the evil within the treacherous Tower of the Void, leading to the final confrontation with Rezlus himself.

Players can take on the role of the melee expert Human Fighter, the quick and nimble Elven Rogue, the master of the arcane arts Halfling Wizard, and the powerful divine Dwarven Cleric. Gamers use intuitive pick-up-and-play combat combined with a wide assortment of weapons, feats and powers to defeat a wide range of deadly enemies. Players can level their character, unlocking three tiers of powers, and an extensive list of feats to create a truly unique character. As the player levels, they can add additional attribute points to their ability scores, further enhancing the performance of the character. The action-packed RPG gameplay allows for solo and co-op play for up to four players.

Dungeons & Dragons: Daggerdale carries a suggested Windows PC retail price of $14.99 and is available on XBLA for 1200 Microsoft Points.

Related posts:

1. New Dungeons & Dragons Board Game: Conquest of Nerath!
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3. Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition Release

Do you have what it takes to be a Greek God or Goddess? If so, then Relativity Media – the studio behind the visually spectacular 3D action adventure Immortals – wants you to sign up right away! Exclusively offered via Facebook today, the Relativity-Archaia Immortals promotion sponsored by Fandango, the nation’s leading moviegoer destination, will crown the winners on July 1 with a king’s ransom-worth of prizes, including a grand prize where contest winners will be immortalized as graphic novel characters with the “reveal” taking place at the Archaia panel during Comic-Con in a special photo-op ceremony. Winners will also receive an all-expenses-paid trip to San Diego to attend the 2011 Comic-Con International. The package includes airfare, hotel accommodations, and exclusive access to special Immortals events throughout the convention.

Entrants will share their reasons why they are the perfect candidate to become the Greek God (Apollo) or Goddess (Artemis) via the Facebook application form. The top-10 entries (five women and five men) with the most “Likes” at the end of the contest period will be asked to submit “authentic” audition tapes for the roles to Relativity Media. The film’s celebrated Director Tarsem Singh will select his two favorites (one man, one woman) and they will be crowned the winners.

Relativity Media and graphic novel publisher Archaia Entertainment, LLC formed a publishing partnership to produce and publish a hardcover graphic novel anthology based upon Relativity’s upcoming epic motion picture Immortals, which stars Henry Cavill (Superman: Man of Steel), Luke Evans (Robin Hood), Kellan Lutz (Twillight), Isabel Lucas (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire), and Mickey Rourke (Iron Man 2).

Archaia will release the Immortals: Gods and Heroes graphic novel in September, serving as a prelude to the 3D motion picture, which releases worldwide on November 11, 2011. The graphic novel will expand upon the film’s key characters and events through a series of original tales written and illustrated by some of the top names in comics, including David Mack (Kabuki), Ron Marz (Witchblade), Dennis Calero (Dark Tower) and Ben Templesmith (30 Days of Night). The graphic novel will be published through Archaia’s Black Label division, a publishing pipeline dedicated to working alongside creative professionals within the entertainment industry eager to launch and expand their brands in the publishing world.

Directed by Tarsem Singh (The Cell, The Fall) and written by Charles Parlapanides and Vlas Parlapanides, Immortals also stars Stephen Dorff (Public Enemies) and John Hurt (Hellboy).

The 3D epic is produced by Gianni Nunnari (300), Mark Canton (300), and Relativity’s CEO Ryan Kavanaugh (The Fighter), and will be distributed by Relativity Media worldwide. In the UK, Australia, and certain other territories, distribution is in association with Universal Pictures International. In Immortals, the ruthless King Hyperion (Rourke) leads his bloodthirsty army on a murderous rampage across Greece to find a deadly weapon that will destroy humanity. A mortal chosen by Zeus named Theseus (Cavill) must lead the fight against Hyperion and his evil army with the fate of mankind and the Gods at stake.

For more information on the contest, please visit:

www.fandango.com
www.immortalsmovie.com
www.facebook.com/immortals
http://twitter.com/ImmortalsFilm

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1. Archaia To Launch Hardcover Immortals Graphic Novel In September
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3. Archaia & Rodenberry Announce Days Missing Hardcover

The Judges

Fred Hicks, one of the creator of The Dresden Files RPG and Spirit of the Century, and one of the brilliant minds of Evil Hat Productions. Careful here – if you don’t entertain him, you will receive some very negative Aspects.

Eddy Webb, writer and designer for Deep 7 and Z-Man Games, and the main man behind everything White Wolf is putting out these days, is a fine professional and a great gamer… and very likely your worst nightmare if you don’t make him smile.

John Wick, legendarily “indie” long before anyone was using the term, is the magnificent mind responsible for the creation of Legend of the 5 Rings, 7th Sea, Houses of the Blooded, and much more from John Wick Presents. Fail to amuse, and you may well appear as someone killed horribly in his next work; no, wait, that would be cool, so you wouldn’t stand such a chance.

These are the folks you’ll have to get through to make it to the Final. If you manage to get that far, your work will be submitted to the fans at large to vote on the very best selections.

The Rules

You must have a RPGNow (DriveThruRPG also counts) account. It’s free, so make sure you’re signed up. OneBookShelf, Inc. employees and publishers may not participate. All ages welcome.

Your entry must consist of two parts – the character presented in your choice of game mechanics, and a brief biography of no more than 400 words. Naturally, you must include a name. As well, don’t go crazy with the stats part; anything past the half-page mark is too much. Any system and any genre is perfectly acceptable (though it needs to be “Safe for Work,” please).

No images, please. The judging will be strictly on the crafting of the character and the bio.

All submissions should be sent to contest@onebookshelf.com.

Judges will select Finalists based on creativity, effective written descriptions, and how compelling the character is. Humor is fine if it fits, but dramatic narratives, “Action Figure Stat Card” style, and any other approach is also strong.

There will be two levels of screening before Finalists are chosen. The first level will be handled by a team of Gaming Commandos under the expert leadership of Sean “Big Irish Gamer” Fannon. The top dozen entries will then be submitted to our Triad of Terror, who will then submit the Top Five Finalists. All Finalists will win something, but the results of fan voting will determine who gets the top prizes.

The contest gets officially underway on May 19th, with the last day of submissions being two weeks later, June 2nd. Finalists will be posted for fan judging on June 9th, with the votes tallied and winners announced on June 16th.

The Prizes

The Grand Prize Winner will receive a ViewSonic gTablet with 10″ Multi-Touch LCD Screen, Android OS 2.2, perfect for carrying and reading our products on. As well, their character will be custom illustrated by Bradley McDevitt, top-notch artist for Postmortem Studios!

Our First Runner Up will receive a $100 Gift Certificate for Flames Rising PDF Store products! Second Runner Up will receive a $50 Gift Certificate, while the remaining finalists will each receive $25 Gift Certificates.

On top of all this, each character will be featured in the “Bring It to the Table” feature in the weekly Newsletter.

All submissions and questions should be sent to contest@onebookshelf.com – Good Luck, and let’s hear all about those characters now!

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1. Christmas in July Sale at RPGNow and DriveThruComics!
2. GM’s Day Sale at RPGNow!
3. Cyber Monday Special at the Flames Rising RPGNow Shop!

The long-awaited GUMSHOE-in-Space is finally here. Ashen Stars is the newest and biggest GUMSHOE game from RPG legend Robin D Laws. Being GUMSHOE, it is flexible, you can play it as hard sci-fi, space opera or cyberpunk or anything in between.

What the Game is About

Your PCs are known as Lasers. Or scrubbers, regulators, or, out in the Scylla Outzone, shinestars. To the lawless denizens of the Bleed, whether they be pirates, gangsters or tyrants, you’re known in less flattering terms. According to official Combine terminology, the members of your hard-bitten starship crew are known as Licensed Autonomous Zone Effectuators. You’re the seasoned freelancers local leaders call when a situation proves too tough, too baffling, or simply too weird to handle on their own. In the abandoned fringe of inhabited planets known as the Bleed, you’re as close to a federal authority as they come.

Motivated by profit and operating on razor-thin margins, Laser crews are all too tempted to cross the line, to become the kind of scum they’re paid to hunt. You may despise the crooked contractors who give your profession a bad name and make it harder to win the trust of honest citizens. Or you might be hanging on the edge of corruption yourselves. However deep your ethical commitments, you struggle to maintain at least the appearance of a sparkling reputation. The value of your next contract depends on it.

Where Can I Get It?

Available as a pre-pre-order now direct through the Pelgrane Press Online Store. Those who order get a simple PDF now, exclusive fiction, and your name in the credits, and then get the final PDF and a signed and numbered copy on release.

Related posts:

1. Ashen Stars RPG Review
2. Ashen Stars RPG Available Now!
3. Pelgrane Week: The Dead White World Review

FlamesRising.com is pleased to announce a new type of theme week for our readers. From Monday, May 2nd 2011 through Friday, May 6th 2011 we will highlight a specific publisher.

To launch our new theme week, we have chosen Pelgrane Press as our featured publisher. If you’ve been following our site, you may recall we have provided you with popular previews, interviews, reviews and articles in the past. Based on this publisher’s popularity in the hobby games industry and with horror fans like you, we felt Pelgrane Press was a worthy choice.

Not familiar with Pelgrane Press, its Gumshoe System and its recently announced Stone Skin Press fiction imprint? For starters, why not check out our Cthulhu Apocalypse: The Dead White World Preview, which is the first part of the highly anticipated Cthulhu Apocalypse series by Graham Walmsley. From there, we recommend reading our recent interview with Robin D. Laws, our interview with Ken Hite and our interview with composer James Semple.

For Trail of Cthulhu RPG fans, don’t forget to check out our FlamesRising.com exclusive. Robin Laws provided us with Inmates: A Campaign Frame.

Curious about the Gumshoe System? Want to play games like Trail of Cthulhu and Esoterrorists but haven’t had the cash? To celebrate our first-ever publisher theme week, Pelgrane Press is sponsoring a contest here on FlamesRising.com!

Pelgrane Press Week Contest!

As part of Pelgrane Press Week here at Flames Rising we are giving away several gift certificates to the Pelgrane Press Online Store. You can use these gift certificates to get your favorite Gumshoe, Dying Earth and other goodies directly from the folks at Pelgrane Press!

Since the Gumshoe RPG system is all about investigation scenarios, we want to hear about your favorite fictional detective. Who is it and why are they your favorite? Want to win? Read the rules below and comment on this post to enter. How easy is that?

Contest runs through midnight on Friday May 6, 2011 so be sure to enter today! We have several prizes we can give away, so don’t be afraid to tell a friend, too!

Contest Details

Pelgrane Press will be giving away one $30 and two $10 gift certificates. Please read the fine print below to find out how you can win!

Good luck!

Related posts:

1. SJ Games Week and Munchkin 10 Year Anniversary Contest
2. Pelgrane Week: The Ashen Stars Pre-Order
3. Pelgrane Week: The Origins of the Occult Guide

Comic book publisher Boom! Studios debuted a web exclusive for the brand new Hellraiser comic series, written by Clive Barker. Boom! celebrated the release by raising hell all over the blogosphere. They reached out to bloggers and reviewers by offering the short story and pages of the preview for free. Then, they highlighted each and every instance of the coverage on their Twitter, Facebook pages and blog.

We’ve included a page of this unique web exclusive at the bottom of our post to give you a feel for the artwork and tone. The short story prelude is entitled At the Tolling of the Bell and is downloadable via several sites including DreadCentral.com, which we’ve linked to here.

Several horror and comic sites have already reviewed the prelude and have added their thoughts on this web exclusive and the first issue. For your convenience, we’ve linked to a few of them below that we thought were pretty spectacular.

Hellraiser Premier Issue Comic Reviews

• Review: Clive Barker’s Hellraiser #1 by Hypergeek – “Clive Barker has touched Hellraiser only twice: once to write The Hellbound Heart, and once more to write and direct the original Hellraiser film. Now witness Barker’s long-awaited return to tell a new chapter in the series’ official continuity—a trajectory that will forever change the Cenobites… and Pinhead!”
• Read the Web Exclusive ‘Hellraiser’ Comic Prelude! at Fear.net – “Few films are as groundbreaking, as timeless, and as shocking as Clive Barker’s original Hellraiser. Now at long last the maestro is returning to the creation that made him a living legend of the macabre.”
• Comic Review: Clive Barker’s Hellraiser #1 on Geeks of Doom – Anyone familiar with the movies will be right at home with this comic. It quickly sets up the familiar elements of the series: the puzzle box, the Cenobites, lots and lots of bodies without any skin — they’re all here within the first 10 pages.”
• Comic Vine Reviews Hellraiser #1 – “If you’re looking for a horror comic with an actual story and great art, this is where to look. Oh, and this isn’t one for the kids.”
• New Comics: ‘Clive Barker’s Hellraiser,’ Number One – “The most astonishing thing about the book is how quickly it picks up on the old feel of the franchise. Manco’s art sets the perfect tone, lending an atmosphere elegant viscera to the book.”

Preview of Hellraiser Issue #1

The following page is a sneak peek at the first issue of the Hellraiser comic. For more information about Hellraiser, visit Boom! Studios.

Related posts:

1. Cthulhu: The Calling from Boom! Studios coming in July!

Sunday, March 20 marks the fifth anniversary of Open Design, a game company run under the patronage business model where gamers themselves can be a part of the design process. Here’s the blog post that started at all.

To celebrate 5 years, Open Design is running a sale at the KQ Store from Friday, March 18 through Thursday Mar 24. Our Kobold-in-Chief Wolfgang Baur says, “This sale is my way of thanking all of you for your support over the past five years. By definition, Open Design could only succeed with your participation. So to all the patrons who helped create our sourcebooks and adventures, and the folks who bought the finished products…thank you very, very much for this wonderful five-year ride. I look forward to continuing on with you to our glorious 10-year mark.”

Special Anniversary PDF: Spend more than $50 (US) in one purchase and receive a special free anniversary PDF chapbook that collects some of the best artwork featuring our beloved kobold mascot Jiro throughout the years.

For our sale, we’re offering 50 % off these items:

* Kobold Quarterly issues #1 through #15 and All gazetteers and adventure books in PDF
* Print copies (while supplies last) of: Sunken Empires (Pathfinder), Iron Gazetteer (4th Edition), and Dwarves of the Ironcrags (3.5 Edition)
* Print copies (while supplies last) of: The Kobold Guide to Game Design Volume 1, Volume 2, and Volume 3.

No related posts.

CELEBRATE GMs! ANNUAL RPGNOW SALE!

GM’s Day! He regularly stabs, mangles, perforates, burns, and otherwise damages your precious character. She delights in torturing your PC’s emotions, thwarting their every plan, denying every desire.

And you love your GM for just these things and more!

Celebrate the teller of interactive tales with the rest of us, as we present Twenty-Five Percent off 100s of Games for GM’s Day!

Buy your favorite games or try new ones from Postmortem Studios, Cubicle 7, Galileo Games, Pelgrane Press, Pinnacle Entertainment, Adamant Entertainment, White Wolf Publishing, Evil Hat Productions, Green Ronin, Malhavoc Press and even Flames Rising Press, including the best-selling title The Queen of Crows.

The sale runs until 10:00 a.m. Eastern on Monday, March 7th. Don’t miss out on this year’s biggest sale!

Related posts:

1. 3:16 eBook Special Sale Price of $3.16
2. Noumenon Sale!

pre-orders for The Zombie Feed, Volume One. It’s a brand, new anthology with several great authors including B.J. Burrow and Lucien Soulban. Check out the Table of Contents below.

Former Stoker Award-nominated editor Jason Sizemore compiles seventeen tasty, brainy morsels of zombie short fiction in The Zombie Feed: Volume 1.

Fast paced, yet thoughtful, The Zombie Feed: Volume I will sate your appetite… at least temporarily.

The Zombie Feed, Volume One

Zombie Anthology Table of Contents

• Cold Comfort by Nathaniel Tapley
• This Final December Day by Lee Thompson
• What’s Next? by Elaine Blose
• Rabid Raccoons by Kristin Dearborn
• The Twenty-Three Second Anomaly by Ray Wallace
• Not Dead by BJ Burrow
• Tomorrow’s Precious Lambs by Monica Valentinelli
• The Fare by Lucien Soulban
• A Shepherd of the Valley by Maggie Jamison
• Broken Bough by Daniel I. Russell
• The Last Generation by Joe Nazare
• Goddamn Electric by Ken Wood
• Hipsters in Love by Danger Slater
• The Sickness unto Death by Brandon Alspaugh
• Lifeboat by Simon McCaffrey

For a limited time, if you preorder The Zombie Feed, Volume One, you will have it signed by the editor, Jason Sizemore.

Related posts:

1. The Zombie Feed Press announces the release of THE FIELDS by Ty Schwamberger
2. Preview of The Zombie Feed Volume One Anthology
3. Bits of the Dead Now Available for Pre-order!

Apex Book Company, a small press publisher specializing in the science fiction, horror and fantasy genres, announced today that it has made a significant change to their monthly edition of Apex Magazine. Subscribers and single-issue purchasers will now get an exclusive first look at the stories and poems before anyone else.

Prior to January 2011, Apex Magazine was offered to both subscribers and non-subscribers alike. As of January 1st, the magazine, which is edited by Cat Valente, will no longer be offered for free on the publisher’s website until the next issue debuts.

Jason Sizemore, owner of Apex Book Company, commented that: “In order for Apex Magazine to retain and attract talented authors like Seanan McGuire and Ekaterina Sedia, we will focus on ensuring our paid subscribers understand how valuable they are to the success of our digital magazine.”

Annual subscriptions to Apex Magazine are available for one dollar per issue, $12 US. The twentieth issue of Apex Magazine features stories and poems by Douglas F. Warrick, Seanan McGuire and Mary Robinette Kowal, Mike Allen and Preston Grassman.

Individual issues of Apex Magazine are available digitally for most e-readers through several online retailers including: Amazon.com, DriveThruSciFi.com, Smashwords.com and more.

Subscribe to Apex Magazine today!.

Related posts:

1. Horror Anthology Dark Faith is Apex Book Company’s Book of the Year
2. Apex Book of World SF Review
3. Ancible Magazine Review