Patch 5.4 patch notes
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The Proving Grounds are coming
The latest patch 5.4 newsDeath Knight Manga to be released December 2009
by Daniel Whitcomb 
Mar 29th 2009 at 12:00PM
Via Blizzplanet, we have news of yet another Warcraft graphic novel coming to us from Tokyopop in December 2009. This time, the story will focus on Thassarian, a Human Death Knight NPC in World of Warcraft.
If you've played a Death Knight or an Alliance character in Northrend, chances are you know of Thassarian. He first shows up in game as a thrall of the Lich King, but even as he assists in the slaughter of the Scarlet Crusade, he shows a noble spirit that even the Lich King's control can't completely suppress.
He shows up again in the Borean Tundra, where his quest line uncovers both some insight behind his new existence and his past and involves epic battles against the Scourge to prevent them from completing a plan to completely dismantle the Alliance offensive. Not only is said quest line one of the few Alliance quests in the Tundra that is actually not boring, but it also provides some of the best early quest rewards for a new level 70. Finally, he shows up again in Icecrown, assisting the Alliance in sabotaging the Scourge.
The storyline of the manga is unknown, and with December 2009 as a target release date, I have to wonder if we'll get an Icecrown-centric storyline, since we may very well be on patch 3.3 or 3.4 by then. Of course, we may also get the story of Thassarian's downfall and resurrection, which in itself could be pretty juicy, as we'll get more insight into the origin of PC Death Knights and maybe even the political and military state of the Alliance before the return of King Wrynn. We'll find out for sure in December 2009.
Filed under: Alliance, Human, Analysis / Opinion, News items, Lore, Death Knight, Wrath of the Lich King, Comics
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 3)
DeathPaladin Mar 29th 2009 12:58PM
He may have a bit of that noble spirit, but he still laughs gleefully every time I turn in Drag and Drop (the quest where you use the Orbs of Transformation to change the appearance of the cultists so the gargoyles will pick them up and drop them to their deaths). So he does retain a bit of that Death Knight sadism.
That just makes me like him more, though. It lets him strike a nice balance where he can care about the well-being of his allies without degenerating into the "brooding redeemed fallen hero" cliche.
DeathPaladin Mar 29th 2009 1:00PM
I would like to add that Thassarian does a better job of being an Alliance Thrall than Varian Wrynn does.
Vote Thassarian for King of Stormwind!
Berenixium Mar 29th 2009 1:03PM
Thrassian by far is my fave Death Knight. He's WoW's Batman, lol.
Anyway.. might actually buy this.
Zhiva Mar 29th 2009 1:06PM
That picture reminds me of Alexander Anderson.
Draelan Mar 29th 2009 1:41PM
Now that you mention it, it DOES. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. If the plot has the same type of dark style as Hellsing, than it would be quite appropriate.
Of course, it would be silly for me to assume the plot style based on the similarity of one picture, so...
Zeplar Mar 29th 2009 1:06PM
oooh Thassarian is bad-ass.
Raze Mar 29th 2009 3:42PM
Good lord, I know this is manga and all, but c'mon.
Can't we have a few more stories that aren't about humans and elves all the time? I'd never have bothered getting into this game if I'd heard about it from one of these mangas first.
Anaughtybear Mar 29th 2009 3:56PM
I could care less. I don't read bad D&D type fan-fiction/fantasy "novels" and manga is pure retardation. Thanks for shopping.
Cyanea Mar 29th 2009 6:39PM
We're all so happy for you.
No, really.
RogueJedi86 Mar 29th 2009 10:29PM
"I don't read bad D&D type fan-fiction/fantasy "novels" and manga is pure retardation."
And yet you keep playing a popular MMO that often does similarly styled "bad D&D type fan-fiction/fantasy novels". WoW's a good game and all, but outside the trademark Wrathgate style quests, you ain't getting high-class storylines. Just thinly veiled excuses to go kill 20 zombies and bring back 5 ghost ears.
Dunemas Apr 26th 2009 3:56PM
You could care less, eh?
COULD care less.
You totally could. Yes indeed.
Could.
(The phrase is "I couldn't care less." What you said is silly.)
newmouse Mar 29th 2009 4:37PM
Not just the average American style comic but a Japanese style manga o_O..
What's next? WoW anime?
xcalibeer Mar 29th 2009 5:08PM
They actually had WoW manga long before the comic.
Suzaku Mar 29th 2009 5:54PM
They had the first manga ages ago (back before Burning Crusade, even).
Technically, it's not really "Japanese-style", though. Tokyopop just markets everything as manga to get weeaboos to shill stuff out. Most of the artists and writers for their original titles are American or Korean, meaning that, generally speaking, they're actually graphic novels or manwha.
Lemons Mar 29th 2009 4:25PM
Death Knight manga!?
Well hell...it's about time..
Starfiyre of Shadow Council Mar 29th 2009 5:02PM
Hopefully this Manga also features Koltira Deathweaver, his Blood Elf buddy. If they were to have the manga follow both of them, all would be happy.
Simon Mar 29th 2009 5:29PM
Very pleased - I haven't got to Icecrown yet (long story...) but I loved the quests involving Thassarian in the DK starting area and then in Borean (which is definitely very boring and explains why I took so long in getting started with Wrath - apart from Thassarian's quests, it's only when you get to Wintergrasp and do the Wrathgate Q line that things get interesting - shame about the rest of the boring Dragonblight quests though).
Anyway, can't wait he's a great character.
Stone_Rhino Mar 29th 2009 7:05PM
I sooo hope this is being written by Richard Knaack. No one makes warcraft lore as well as he does, and with a character as big as Thassarian he could do a lot of sweet backstory.
Raze Mar 30th 2009 2:17AM
It's impossible to tell on the internet, but I sure as hell hope this is sarcasm.
Aubrecia Mar 29th 2009 8:23PM
Oh, Thassarian, is he the one who gives the speech about being brothers in death, and is friends with the blood elf DK (I think his name is Koltira)? I haven't played through the DK starting area in an age, so specific details elude me. If that is him, though, I have to agree -- he's a total badass.