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RPGNow is running a September Setting Sale with thousands of titles in the mix. That's a lot to sort through. I'm going to try to pick out some of my personal favorites that are OSR or system neutral over a small series of posts (although one or two may creep in from outside those parameters) Part 1 is here.  Part II is here.

Dungeon Crawl Classics #35: Gazetteer of the Known Realms - I have the boxed set and it is a beast. You literally have a full campaign in this box and then some - note: written for 3x - "Certain adventures only come around once. Like when the grizzled old warrior decides to go after the dragon, and asks who’s coming with him. Or when the dark-eyed sorceress slowly surveys the crowd of peasants, waiting for one to step forward and pull the sword from the stone. This boxed sets contains those adventures. Dungeon Crawl Classics #35: Gazetteer of the Known Realms brings together the Dungeon Crawl Classics modules into one comprehensive world. This magnificent set includes: Gazetteer of the Known Realms, a 120-page book describing the archetypal fantasy world of Áereth. Three 24"x36" poster-sized full-color maps of Áereth ready to host your adventures. GM’s Guide to the Known Realms, a 136-page sourcebook describing deities, equipment, creatures, and NPCs, plus rules for starting campaigns with 0-level characters and adventure paths that you can build from existing DCC modules.  Halls of the Minotaur, a 32-page adventure module for 0-level characters perfectly suited to starting off your campaign in Áereth. The Thief Lord’s Vault, a 32-page adventure module for levels 4-6 that sends the heroes into the legendary treasure vault of Cazül the Chaotic." 29.99  20.99

Wormskin Issue 5 - Note: The entire series in on sale - "Wormskin explores the mythic forest called Dolmenwood, a weird folklore setting for use with B/X or similar tabletop adventure games. Each issue uncovers various elements of this eldritch realm situated on the leafy verges of Fairy, where austere Drunes rub elbows with weird elf-lords and talking beasts, where witches wander skyclad and armed with sinister magicks to bind the spirits of hapless adventurers. Be wary. " 3.99  2.67

Kobold Guide to Worldbuilding - "Roleplaying games and fantasy fiction are filled with rich and fascinating worlds: the Forgotten Realms, Glorantha, Narnia, R'lyeh, Middle-Earth, Barsoom, and so many more. It took startling leaps of imagination as well as careful thought and planning to create places like these: places that readers and players want to come back to again and again. Now, eleven of adventure gaming’s top designers come together to share their insights into building worlds that gamers will never forget. Learn the secrets of designing a pantheon, creating a setting that provokes conflict, determining which historical details are necessary, and so much more. Even take that creative leap—and create dazzling worlds of your own! Essays by Wolfgang Baur, Keith Baker, Monte Cook, David "Zeb" Cook, Jeff Grubb, Scott Hungerford, Chris Pramas, Jonathan Roberts, Michael A. Stackpole, Steve Winter, with an introduction by Ken Scholes."  14.99  10.04

Cthulhu by Gaslight - Halloween is sneaking up on us. What better way to celebrate the holiday than some CoC? - "IN THE 1890s, Cthulhu and his minions share the globe with the mighty British Empire. But they owe allegiance to an empire of their own — a dark and cruel design on ownership of the world and on the dreams of humanity. Even among the green fields of rural England, only thoughtful and energetic intervention keeps the shadows at bay. CTHULHU BY GASLIGHT offers a thoroughly developed Victorian England setting for use with Call of Cthulhu. Character creation has been enhanced with new wrinkles. There are articles on the Victorian world, crime, politics, personalities, and so forth. There are extensive sections on the Cthulhu Mythos in Britain — creatures, cults, and books — and a précis of Ramsey Campbell’s Severn River Valley. Also included are tips on running various types of Gaslight-era campaigns, a gazetteer of intriguing British myths and legends, a selection of friends and foes from Victorian fiction, and a lengthy bibliography /filmography of suggested reading and viewing. Rounding out this edition are a pair of Victorian-era scenarios — one an urban adventure set in London, the other set in rural Dartmoor. Includes a two-color, fold-out map of the City of London."  15.92  10.67

Alpha Blue - "Warning: Alpha Blue contains potentially offensive material in regards to sexual content, adult situations, vulgar language, mature themes, etc. This book is not only a rules light sci-fi RPG (d6 dice pools similar to both Crimson Dragon Slayer and The Outer Presence), but a campaign setting full of tables and scenario seeds.  And what is that setting?  Well, Alpha Blue is one of the most notorious space station brothels in the universe.  I know I'm biased, being the creator and all, but I really love this game!  I've run it many times during the playtest phase, for my home group after its release, at conventions, virtually on Roll20.  It's literally the most fun to GM of all the hundreds of RPGs I own.  Here's a little secret to running Alpha Blue - just borrow bits and pieces from vintage scifi movies and TV shows, add in a bit of sleaze, and sprinkle some funny stuff on top.  Voila! And what makes this different than similar offerings?  Three things!  The first is humor. I've made this a fun read with hilarious, gonzo shenanigans around every corner.  The second is sex appeal.  Plenty of folks won't buy this book.  Hell, they won't even read a free PDF if it was shoved in their face.  Why?  Because some of it is raunchy, disgusting, perverted, and just plain gross.  Your welcome, skeezoids!  Third, I love old school sci-fi.  So much, in fact, that the future is seen through a 1970s and 80s perspective.  Don't forget tables, tables, and more tables!  Mutations, alien quirks, funky fashion, just the right retro color palette, what's inside that asteroid, what are the scanners picking up, did you assassinate your victim, how does your therapy-bot help you cope with life among the stars, is the space station's central computer in a favorable mood, sexual fetish, weird space cocktails, etc.  A third of this book is fricken random tables!" $10.00  $6.70

Purchases made via The Tavern's affiliate links help to support The Tavern. Additionally, if we generate $300 or more via OBS affiliate referral monies, I've promised to release a short adventure for free on The Tavern. Just under 65 bucks to go :)

New York, NY—September 19, 2017—This fall, a new day will shine on the Marvel Universe with your favorite heroes, your favorite creators…where every story is an event!

Today, Marvel is excited to announce the following creative teams and Legacy titles:

THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL #27: THE FORBIDDEN PLA-NUT PART 1
Written by RYAN NORTH
Art by ERICA HENDERSON

MS MARVEL #25: TEENAGE WASTELAND PART 1
Written by G. WILLOW WILSON
Art by NICO LEON

GENERATION X #85: OG GEN X PART 1
Written by CHRISTINA STRAIN
Art by AMILCAR PINNA

For an in-depth look at our return to original numbering, fans can consult Marvel’s renumbering chart – a handy and easy way to jump on board with our Legacy content! Featuring new adventures and dozens of exciting returns, look for more interviews and updates with artists, writers, and editors of these series.

There was no Midweek Monster Mayhem post last week so this post is a bit of a twofer. If all goes well, there will be a second post this week.

Todie was a special Bulibug. Unlike his brethren, he had an affinity for languages. He also found himself blessed with a singular talent, the ability to project a semi-solid illusion, which he often used to his advantage within the tribe. That is, until they cast him out.

Now Todie preys on the Bigguns. He has perfected an 8 1/2 foot "Paper" Ogre projection, one that he can throw his voice to, which he uses to shake down travelers and still wet behind the ears adventurers. He doesn't ask for much - usually a silver per person from travelers - and would much rather the show go as planned, because his ogre projection is much more bark than it is bite. The projection is hard to hit but strikes for minimal damage.

Paper Ogre
AC: 1[18]    HD: 4 (4 HP) Attacks: Club (1 Point Damage - no roll needed)   Move: 12
Special: Really an illusion. Anyone who suspects it is an illusion may make a saving throw. If successful, that character gains a + 4 hit bonus against the illusion.


Bulibug
AC: 6[13]    HD: 1 Attacks: Claws (1d6-1) or by weapon   Move: 12
Special: Hide as a thief in wilderness 5 in 6 chance

Note, although written for Swords & Wizardry Light, Paper Ogres and Bulibugs will work fine with other flavors of S&W (and other OSR rulesets) - all you need do is add expo.

Paper Ogre art by Eric Quigley. Bulibug art by Forrest Imel.

OGL

There are a lot of reasons Mac users don’t sweat getting infected. One: They’ve got a built-in anti-malware system called XProtect that does a decent job of catching known malware. Two: Macs are not plagued by a high number of attacks. (Most cybercriminals are focused on infecting PCs.) And three: There’s just not a lot of Mac malware out there.

But that’s changing, and fast: Mac malware has increased by 230 percent in the last year alone. Most Mac users don’t know this, and assume their Mac is fine. For those folks we have one word: adware.

Your Mac is infected…with adware

Adware is software that’s designed to display advertisements, usually within a web browser. Most people don’t willingly download programs whose sole purpose is to bombard you with ads, so adware has to sneak its way onto your Mac. It either disguises itself as legitimate or piggybacks on another program in order to be installed.

Once in your system, adware changes the way your browser behaves by injecting ads into web pages, causing pop-up windows or tabs to open, and changing your homepage or search engine—all in the name of funneling advertising dollars away from companies who pay for online ads and into their own accounts.

Your Mac is infected…and not protected

Sounds pretty shady, right? So why doesn’t the Mac anti-malware program catch these guys? Typically, the makers of adware are hiding in plain sight, operating as actual corporations who claim to sell software on the level. They get away with it because their adware is often hidden in the fine print of a long installation agreement that most people skip over. Is it technically legal? Yes. You accepted the terms of the installment so they can spam you all they want. But is it right? So far, Apple hasn’t stepped in to crack down on it. But if you ask us, the answer is an emphatic “no.”

In addition to adware, other potentially unwanted programs, such as so-called “legitimate” keyloggers, scammy “cleaning” apps, and faux antivirus programs that don’t actually detect anything are skirting the Mac protections in place. (Because XProtect doesn’t detect and block adware or potentially unwanted programs—only malware that it has seen before.) So if a new form of malware makes its way onto your computer before Apple has a chance to learn about it and write code to protect against it, then you’re out of luck.

So if you ask us, it’s time to start taking a closer look at your Mac. Is it acting the way your sturdy, reliable Mac has always behaved? Or is it exhibiting classic signs of guilt? If something seems a little off, you just might have a problem. Let’s take a look at the telltale signs that your Mac is infected.

Signs of adware

Advertisements are displayed in places they shouldn’t be, literally popping up everywhere. Your web browser’s homepage has been mysteriously changed without your permission. Web pages that you typically visit are not displaying properly, and when you click on a website link, you get redirected to an entirely different site. In fact, even your search engine has been replaced with a different one. If your web browser, search engine, or websites are acting in funky, unpleasant ways, you’ve likely got yourself an adware infection.

Signs of PUPs

Maybe you downloaded a new program to monitor your family’s behavior online. All of a sudden, new icons are appearing on your desktop for software you don’t remember installing. New toolbars, extensions, or plugins are added to your browser. A pop-up appears telling you your Mac may be infected, and you need to install the latest antivirus immediately to get rid of it. Frightened, you do so, and now your computer has turned the corner from automatically installing apps to slowing to a crawl. What’s going on? These are PUPs, and your Mac’s anti-malware system is not going to get rid of them.

Signs of malware

Mac malware making its way onto your system is, right now, relatively rare. But if it does, you may look out for similar behavior as an infected Windows operating system: your computer’s processing power seems diminished, software programs are sluggish, your browser redirects or is unresponsive, or your ole-reliable starts crashing regularly.

In some cases, you may not be aware of an infection at all. While your computer hums along, info stealers operate quietly in the background, stealing your data for an attack on your bank accounts or identity.

And in the worst case scenario, your Mac can even be infected with ransomware. In March 2016, the first Mac ransomware was spotted, and it was downloaded by thousands of users before Apple had a chance to shut it down. A ransomware attack would be quite obvious to Mac users. Files would be encrypted and cybercriminals would deliver a ransom demand (usually via pop-up) in order to return your data.

Do any of these scenarios sound familiar to you? If so, there are a few steps you can take to remedy the infection. First, back up your files. Next, download a (legitimate) anti-malware program such as Malwarebytes for Mac that’s designed to search and destroy adware, PUPs, and any new forms of malware lurking on the scene. Run a scan and, if there are any nasties hiding away in your pristine Mac OS, it’ll bag, tag, and dump them for you. Then you can finally get your Mac back.

The post How to tell if your Mac is infected appeared first on Malwarebytes Labs.

Cryptozoic Entertainment today announced that it will show several upcoming collectibles at Fall Toy Preview 2017, October 3-5 at the World Trade Center in the Dallas Market Center. In Room #8400, Cryptozoic will display prototypes of early 2018 releases such as Cryptkins, an original line of vinyl figures based on legendary creatures, and the Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman vinyl figure. In addition, it will showcase DC Pumps and DC Teekeez, two new lines of vinyl figures that are scheduled to be released later in 2017. 

Dungeons & Dragons players don’t love sandbox adventures as much as they think, but such adventures can still offer fun. After I took aim at sandbox adventures, some dungeon masters running thriving open-world campaigns offered counterpoints. Michael S has run such a campaign for 9 years, outlasting the West Marches campaign that inspired him by 7 years.

Sandboxes can work. This post and my next will reveal the secrets. Once you read all these requirements, you may decide a fully-realized sandbox demands more time and energy than you can spare. Michael’s “crazy” world uses a database just to track NPCs and a “big” wiki for bookkeeping. (Of course, rather than filling your sandbox in advance, you can cheat. More on that next time.)

The hardcover adventures published for 5th edition have all tried to include some of the freedom of sandbox adventures. None of the hardcovers check all the requirements on this list. If the hardcovers proved frustrating to run, the missing requirements explain why. If they played fine for you, then you, as a good DM, improvised and reworked to fill in the gaps. You may have enjoyed the extra effort or, like me, you may have done it reluctantly. I have a D&D blog to write.

The sandbox archetype casts characters as explorers on the verge of a unmapped frontier, perhaps the shore of The Isle of Dread or descending from the Yawning Portal into the Undermountain megadungeon. When Out of the Abyss stranded the party in the Underdark, the hardcover followed the exploration model. The authors of the other hardcover adventures touted sandbox-like design, which ranged from player-led tours of the Sword Coast to simply including dungeons that could be visited in different orders.

My advice starts with this exploration model in mind, but these requirements apply to campaigns that stray from the prototype.

Set long-term aims

In the sandbox archetype, players start with a incomplete hex map like the ones in The Isle of Dread or Tomb of Annihilation and explore to fill the blanks. Such games can become unsatisfying grinds. The Angry GM explains, “The only rewarding part of the exploration is when you actually find anything. And the vast majority of the hexes have nothing to find. There is nothing interesting about yet another forest of hexes. And random encounters—dinosaurs waiting to jump out of the forest and kill you—are interesting, but they are the painful, dangerous kind of interesting. That’s not a reward.”

The 5E hardcovers all avoid this pitfall by setting a campaign objective from the start. In Tomb of Annihilation, players seek the source of a world-spanning curse. In Out of the Abyss, players explore to find an escape from the Underdark. The other adventures reveal some overarching menace in the opening scene.

Most players want to aim for an ultimate campaign goal. Throughout the game, they want clear options that take them closer to achieving their long-term aim. In Curse of Strahd, the players start far from defeating Strahd, but they can explore Barovia and gather the magic items they will need.

Not every campaign leads to some ultimate villain. Instead, for instance, a party could aim to find a lost heir and put her on the throne.

D&D adventures either set an ultimate goal for characters or assume they quest for treasure. (An adventure that omits any goal becomes a campaign setting.) Players seldom mind adopting a goal so long as they get to do D&D things like collecting treasure and smiting evil. When I ran Murder in Balder’s Gate though, my players rebelled. The adventure assumed characters would support one of three patrons who vied for power. The patrons start unsavory and, as they gain power, become worse. My players wanted no part of it. My Murder In Baldur’s Gate became something entirely different from the book.

If you introduce a long-term aim before character generation, your players can craft characters tied to a chosen aim. For example, Princes of the Apocalypse suggested players tie their character to an adventure-specific hook.

In a homebrew campaign, you start with the players’ characters and invent a long-term aim just for them. Perhaps a someone wants to play a member of a hiding royal family. Who can say how close she is to the lost heir?

Give enough information to start

Imagine a party shipwrecked on the coast of a lost continent. If they know nothing, they can only trudge inland and explore aimlessly. Perhaps a wandering monster will interrupt the drudgery.

Robert Conley’s Bat in the Attic blog focuses on sandbox play. He writes, “Picking one of the six surrounding blank hexes is not a choice with meaning. So work on the initial situation so that it is interesting and give the players enough information to make some valid decision of what to do.”

If that shipwrecked party has an explorer’s letter, a ciphered treasure map, rumors a lost city on a plateau, and so on, then the group knows enough to plot a course. Once you tie the lore into the characters’ goals, the clues will inspire action. Remember though, if you give one player a clue, they might not share it. Spread any secrets that you need players to share.

You can also launch a sandbox with a conventional adventure that starts with a patron in a bar. No one said your campaign requires a consistent model.

Out of the Abyss launched the characters’ explorations by pairing them with Underdark natives to serve as guides. See The surprising benefits of giving an adventuring party a guide.

Next: Running a sandbox campaign

The team over at Doctor Who Magazine have revealed the cover for issue #517. Gracing the cover is seventh Doctor Sylvester McCoy as his 30 years are celebrated in a new interview. Also included is a special feature focusing on Deborah Watling who sadly passed away earlier this year. Watling played Victoria Waterfield, companion to Patrick […]

The post Doctor Who Magazine Issue #517 Cover Revealed appeared first on Blogtor Who.

If you enjoyed the excellent 4-part BBC drama series ‘Trust Me’ starring new 13th Doctor Jodie Whittaker you can any enjoy it all over again by watching on DVD. The 2-disc region 2 boxset is now available from Amazon.co.uk, priced £12.99. About Trust Me Driven to desperate measures, nurse Cath Hardacre (Jodie Whittaker, Doctor Who, Broadchurch) steals […]

The post ‘Trust Me’ Starring Jodie Whittaker Now on DVD appeared first on Blogtor Who.

  Ron Frenz added 7 new photos.

Hi Gang!

Way before The Legendary Tom DeFalco and I were invited to do that short story for The Shield we teamed up to pitch a re-vamp of the Archie Comics Super-Heroes!

At the time I was unaware of the majority of these oft-forgotten arbiters of justice so we decided that Tom would provide me with only a list of the character names and we would see where the flow of ideas would take us.

Some were obvious, as in the meaning of the term “the web” now as opposed to the original creation’s era. Most just became a springboard for fresh takes and hopefully fun ideas!

After initially entertaining the possibility of launching our newly minted versions as digital first episodes,part of their budding(at the time)on-line presence,Archie ultimately passed on the pitch.

One more “that woud’ve been fun!” in an ever growing list of such attempts. It can be a difficult thing to convince a publisher to take a chance and spend money on an idea by a couple of dreaming knuckleheads!

Anyway,here are a few of the re-jiggered characters we pitched!
Please keep in mind that if you were indeed a big fan of the original concepts and dislike the idea of changing anything about them IT DIDN”T HAPPEN SO KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON!

If you’re not familiar with the original versions,I’ve included an old house ad from an Archie publication of the 1960’s!

Enjoy!

If you follow The Tavern with any regularity, you know I like my RPGs with simple resolution system but plenty of depth. Well, Tiny Dungeon 2e appears to have both in spades.
Tiny Dungeon uses a simple, fast, and dynamic ruleset to handle actions. The game uses up to three six-sided dice as part of action resolution. If you roll a "5" or "6" on a die, your check succeeds. Most checks are made with two dice. However, if you are deemed to have "advantage" on a roll, you gain a third die to roll. If you have disadvantage, you lose a dice (rolling only a single die). Characters are made quickly and easily. You will select a fantasy race (such as dwarf, salimar, goblin, human or more), three traits, and write down some basic information and you are ready to play!Even more interesting to me are the included micro-settings. There are 17 such micro-settings included at the moment and I can see myself and others readily ripping them for SWL and other rulesets.

Funding goal was 5k and its currently over 37k with 17 days to go.

PDF is $13,  Print plus PDF is $25.

Title: The Unsound # 4
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Created by: Cullen Bunn
Written by: Cullen Bunn
Illustrated by: Jack T. Cole
Lettered by: Jim Campbell
Cover by: Jack T. Cole
Price: $ 3.99 US
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Website: www.boom-studios.com
Comments: The visuals are weird. Especially the one eyed cat.
Xeres, Ashli and the patients and doctors are in a place unlike any other. It is a crazy wild dangerous place.
What do the masks do? Why do they hide and help those trapped below? Mysteries do abound here.
We learn more about one of the orderlies than we might like to know.
Ashli now we delve farther into her personality. She was a young girl who needed help and she did decide to help herself by helping others. She is the Mother of Blades but what does that mean in this crazy place.
The more you learn of Ashli the more you want to know and you know there is more.

In this Box Breaking Matt takes a look Master of Orion from Catalyst Game Labs. Master of Orion is a deck builder where 2 players attempt explore the galaxy while wreaking havoc on one another while conquering the stars.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Master of Orion is new to me ( I can’t believe i just said that), but all hype this year has me looking into it.

Say what you want about the Lamentations of the Flame Princess releases (and much has been said) but the quality of the art of the strength of the writing is top of the line. Usability? That's a whole other question and depends on the title.

Carcosa and Isle & Dungeon of the Unknown are very strong, if off kilter, sandboxes. Death Frost Doom 2e has always reminded me of a survivable (strange to say that about LotFP) Tomb of Horrors. Blood in the Chocolate is disturbing as all hell. The Monolith from Beyond Space and Time is a useless party fuck IMHO and Lamentations of the Flame Princess - The core ruleset. You get the above for $14.95

As for the Appalling Bonus Collection, this is a much stronger collection. I have nothing but good stuff to say about the choices and if nothing else your reading will be enjoyable. How much will be usable in your campaign will depend on you but lots of ideas to borrow and steal. My two favorites picks from this batch are worth the price of admission on their own - Broodmother Skyfortress and Towers Two.  These are simply amazing examples of great adventures to inspire the DM. Currently priced just short of $27 for the bonus collection.

Last week, we dug into phishing campaigns done via Linkedin accounts, remediation versus prevention, issues with smart syringe pumps, and advised you to go patch against a Word 0day. We had some tips regarding identity theft protection, explored crowdsourced fraud, and explained YARA rules.

Elsewhere:

Consumer News

• Equifax UK admits: 400,000 Brits caught up in mega-breach: The UK gets caught up in the ongoing Equifax saga (Source: The Register)
• Another month, another malware outbreak in Google’s Play Store: More rogue apps on the Google Play store (Source: The Register)
• Unsecured Elasticsearch servers turned into PoS malware C&Cs: (Source: Help Net Security)
• ‘Your Windows Has Been Banned’ malware makes an unwelcome return: There’s always another piece of Ransomware to deal with (source: Betanews)
• Huge Vevo hack: Another day, another compromise for fans of video uploads everywhere (source: EDM News)
• Malware blamed for city’s data breach: malware and payment system problems, oh my (source: San Diego Union Tribune)
• Five billion Bluetooth devices at risk as ‘BlueBorne’ malware spreads: Problems in air-gapped land (source: The Indian Express)
• RouteX Malware Uses Netgear Routers for Credential Stuffing Attacks: Routers under fire from hackers (source: Bleeping Computer)
• EMOTET banking malware returns with a wider scope & vengeance: Banking Malware never goes away – stay informed (source: Security Brief)
• Beware: A new malware known as Xafecopy is stealing money through smartphones in India: Smartphone money shenanigans (source: GizBot)

Stay safe!

Malwarebytes Labs Team

The post A week in security (September 11 – September 17) appeared first on Malwarebytes Labs.

As I covered in my first part of this series of articles, the Eighties were the second golden age of Sword & Sorcery adventure fiction. Coming in hot to usher in this age of decadence and magick was the  Conan The Barbarian film released 1982 starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. I can't tell you the impact this movie had on people across the world. For small town Eric it was a huge deal & it Needleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11243274667834930867noreply@blogger.com0

Every convention we attend, the lovely and talented Lar deSouza takes commissions from LFG’s legion of fans, creating original art tailored to their hearts and minds. You already know that Lar is a creative genius. What you might not know […]

The post Top Comments and Best Con Sketches appeared first on Looking For Group.

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – September 18, 2017 – Returning to the Baltimore Convention Center in the beautiful Inner Harbor, the 2017 Baltimore Comic-Con takes place this weekend, September 22-24, 2017. Online ticket sales are available through Thursday, September 21.

Kazu Kibuishi, creator of the Amulet graphic novel series and the cover artist for the anniversary edition of Harry Potter, comes to Baltimore Comic-Con as part of Kids Love Comics.

New York Times bestseller Kazu Kibuishi’s magical graphic novels have taken the book world by storm, and now that magic is coming to the Baltimore Comic-Con September 22-24! Mr. Kibuishi will be on hand all weekend (Booth #3013 in the Kids Love Comics Area) to meet his fans, sign his books, and share his process in creating graphic novels. Copies of Mr. Kibuishi’s books will be available for purchase if anyone forgets to bring a copy to have signed!

Ask any class of kids across America about the graphic novel series Amulet, and you will probably hear an excited description of adventure, kid heroes, and amazing creatures, all said with a big smile. Featuring magic, elves, robots, demons, and anthropomorphic animals, Amulet has become a bright light for reluctant readers and excited book lovers alike.

Kibuishi will be giving FREE talks on his process of creating comics on Saturday at the Baltimore Comic-Con, as part of the perennial convention’s Kids Love Comics educational and entertainment initiative.

“Baltimore Comic-Con is not only a wonderful comic convention,” said John Gallagher, Kids Love Comic Executive Director, “it’s an incredible, family-friendly event. Kazu’s inclusion at the show is a natural progression of BCC’s dedication to inspiring young people to read and enjoy the magic of comics.”

Mr. Kibuishi’s programming (just a part of the weekend-long kids programming and classes) at the show is as follows:

SATURDAY

Kids Love Comics Area

1:00-2:00 – Panel Party with Mark Mariano and Kazu Kibuishi

You are cordially invited you to the Panel Party, where your imagination, storytelling ability, and art skills will be welcomed and celebrated. Simply put, we are going to have a blast making comics together! Warning: attending this party may result in you throwing your own Panel Party at home!

 

Room 345-346

2:45-3:45 – Amulet Graphic Novel: Behind-the-Scenes

Presentation and Q&A with author Kazu Kibuishi on the creation of the Amulet graphic novel series for Scholastic Graphix. Explore the process of creating adventures for all ages!

 

SUNDAY

Room 347-348

11:00-12:00 – Writing for Young Readers

How is writing for young readers unique? What are the rewards and challenges? Are any themes off limits? Join Kazu Kibuishi, Barry Lyga, Andy Runton, Hope Larson, Louise Simonson, and moderator Charlie Kochman as they explore writing for young readers.

Limited copies of Kazu Kibuishi’s books will be on hand for purchase, courtesy of Captain Bluehen Comics, Newark, DE and Kids Love Comics (www.kidslovecomics.net).

PORTLAND, OR, 09/18/2017 — All-female creative team—writer Caitlin Kittredge (THROWAWAYS, Coffin Hill) and artist Roberta Ingranata—join forces for an all-new story about one Alex Underwood, a journalist who thinks she’s seen it all… until she becomes the unlikely host to an ancient and powerful artifact known as the WITCHBLADE. The ongoing series—first co-created by Image Comics co-founder and partner, Marc Silvestri, with Brian Haberlin, Michael Turner, and David Wohl—is set to launch this December.

“Everywhere you look in the real world, you’ll see a hero. Not the kind that wears a cape and flies around a comic page or across the big screen but the kind you see walking around being kind of unremarkable. Basically people. People that, when given the choice, will simply do the right thing. Because that’s what a hero does,” said Silvestri. “Doing the right thing isn’t always easy, as it often means being selfless. Without hesitation. But again, that’s what a hero does. Our most enduring superheroes come from this simple idea: people choosing to do the right thing. People like the wielders of the Witchblade.”

WITCHBLADE #1 drops readers into the action from page one. Gunned down and left for dead on a New York rooftop, Alex Underwood’s life should have ended there—but instead, at the moment of death, she became host to the Witchblade, a mystical artifact that grants the woman wielding it extraordinary powers. But the power comes with a heavy cost, and Alex finds herself thrust into the center of an unseen battle raging on the snowy streets of NYC. Demons are real and walking among humans, and every one of them is intent on taking out the Witchblade’s newest host before she becomes too strong to kill. But the artifact chose Alex for a reason, and she’s not going down without a fight.

“The idea of people choosing to be selfless was always at the forefront when Brian Haberlin, Michael Turner, David Wohl, and myself went about the business of creating Witchblade 20 some years ago. Now a talented new team has grabbed the creative reins and, quite frankly, they’ve knocked the new Witchblade out of the park! Writer Caitlin Kittredge, artist Roberta Ingranata, and colorist Bryan Valenza have taken Witchblade in a bold new direction that is completely fresh and exciting,” added Silvestri. “So do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Witchblade where you can follow the adventures of a person granted great power and choosing to do the right thing with it. You know, a hero.”

WITCHBLADE #1 (Diamond Code OCT170557) hits stores on Wednesday, December 6th. The final order cutoff deadline for retailers is Monday, November 13th.

ARCHIE’S FUNHOUSE COMICS DOUBLE DIGEST #28
In the BRAND NEW lead story, “Every Day is Sundae!,” The Cooking Channel is looking for the best sundae in the country—and one by Pop Tate is in the running! Archie and his friends all think they’re the inspiration behind the recipe, but only one person knows the truth!
Script: Dan Parent
Art: Pat and Tim Kennedy, Bob Smith, Glenn Whitmore, Jack Morelli
Cover: Bill Galvan, Rosario “Tito” Peña
On Sale Date: 9/20
160-page, full color comic
$4.99 U.S.

YOUR PAL, ARCHIE #2
Your pal Archie meets his new best pal, Reggie. Find out why Riverdale’s most famous jerk is being so nice to everyone in town! Plus, get the third part of the connecting variant cover series!
Script: Ty Templeton
Art: Dan Parent, Ty Templeton, Andre Szymanowicz, Jack Morelli
Cover: Dan Parent
Connecting Variant Cover: Les McClaine
On Sale Date: 10/11
32-page, full color comic
$3.99 U.S.